I had Wavefront Lasik with Mr Gartry on Sat 9th June at 3.30pm. Pre-op I was –4.25 and –5.5. My qualms about the op were unfounded – for me it was a walk in the park. I’m very pleased with the results after two days. The bad bits of the whole process were:

- During the op the equipment made various noises, not loud, but made me start a few times which I don’t think they appreciated. You need to keep still.
- I unconsciously kept screwing my other eye hard shut, which apparently makes the open one harder to work on. Kept gently being reminded to ‘please open your other eye’…
- Post op I had a small red bruise on one eye which I was not prewarned about – but its tiny and fading fast. Apparently some people have bruising on both, from the suction used to hold the machine on tight. No pain from it though.
- No-one showed me the best way to put in eye drops. A minor point.

As you can see, the bad bits were not very bad. The many good bits:

- I had various questions after the consultation, and decided to write to Mr Gartry before booking the op. He wrote back promptly and carefully answered each question fully which I really appreciated.
- His assistant who did the Wavefront scans two weeks before the op was very helpful, friendly and explained each part carefully.
- The actual op took just 20 minutes, my dad timed it. Incredible.
- Mr Gartry was a very calming presence in the op room, talked calmly through what was happening which helped relax me. He even held my head gently to stop me twitching although the headrest ‘clamps’ you in.
- I assumed there would be a big scary machine to get under to have the flap cut, and there isn’t. Whatever it is, its not big and the surgeon simply pops it on your eye and then off after less than 30 seconds. You can’t see anything or feel anything at that point anyway.
- There was no pain at all during or after the op and right away I could see quite well. Not good enough to drive, but fine to go on the train if accompanied. Eyes got slightly ‘itchy’ after two hours but the first set of self-administered eye drops fixed that. By the evening I had good sight and watched TV, read etc with no problem. Itchiness had gone. By the next day sight was noticeably better, and the next day (today) also.
- Today, two days after the op I have probably 97% vision compared to what I had with specs. Very slightly misty. Today I drove, used public transport, caught up with emails with no problems. Have to set an alarm to remind me to put in the drops.
- The 48 hour check up was this morning with Mr Gartry. He was reassuring and confirmed my eyes were healing nicely and are already better than ‘driving test’ standard. Nothing like the bad experience the last writer had. Also unlike the last writers surgeon, Mr Gartry sees all his patients again after one month, not three.

GENERAL INFO

Throughout the op you are reclining in something like a dentists chair and the surgeon sits behind your head. There is also a nurse putting in eye drops and wiping your face, plus a third person.

They all wear scrubs and masks but you don’t, just walk in and sit down. They put a hairnet on you and tape back your eyelashes on the first eye and start.

The aftercare drops they give you must be refrigerated immediately after opening (which is two hours after surgery). That’s easy if you are going home to somewhere with a fridge. I was, but as the day after I was then traveling home 200 miles I had to go shopping (on the hottest day of the year!!!) to try and find ice packs to keep the drops cool on the journey.

At this early stage of my recovery I would completely recommend this op & surgeon. The last writer I hope was unlucky. Check out Mr Gartrys experience on the web, I did very carefully. Although it cost more I have no regrets choosing him rather than some ‘high street’ provider. I look forward to writing here again in a month or two to confirm the last 3% of sight has resolved. If it does not, I would be slightly disappointed but not terribly – its hugely better than it was and no more specs or contact lenses!!! Woo hoo!!!

BTW, one of the reasons I had the surgery was that I am a keen runner. In November, I am running the New York marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief. If you appreciate my info maybe you will consider sponsoring me here www.justgiving.com/nickbellnyc …. Cheers!