I had my lasik at shaftesbury avenue last friday, 14th may. The procedure was totally painless. Everything was explained to me from the moment i arrived. I was first given a couple of eye tests to map the eye and cornea. Then i went to meet the surgeon Mr Jain. He did a standard look at the eye chart and see what you can read type test to ensure my prescriptopn was accurate. Then offered me LASEK or LASIK i still insited on LASIK for a quicker recovery. So he gave me a valium pill (did not help much!) after signing the consent form. I then waited in a room with 2 others, 1 had been operated on and looked dreadful. I was slightly concerned until her mother said she was always a wimp. Then my time had come, off to the laser room. The nurse cleaned my eye with liquid and gauze. My head was positioned where they wanted and kept still by a head cushion, shaped appropriately. Then Mr Jain came in and talked through what was about to happen. I needed to look at the light above and would feel pressure as the flap cutting machine, for want of better words, was lowered onto my eye. This did not cause me any discomfort. Then he raised the flap out of the way and cleaned my eye, then it was case of staring at the red light and trying not to move my eye as the laser was applied. Again, no discomfort. After this, Mr Jain cleaned my eye and repleaced the flap, he seemed to take great care doing this. I was impressed/releived. Then the second eye was done the same way. My prescription was only about -1.50, so the actual laser took just an amazing 11 seconds. Mr Jain the saw me in an adjoining room to look very carefully at the eye and make sure he was happly with the flap etc. Again no problems.
I went home less than an hour after surgery. My eyes stung like anything for the next 4/5hours despite sleeping as advised in a darkened room. Then came the real grittiness. This was very uncomfortable. That evening i had to use the eyes drops provided. One was a lubricating drop for dry eyes, an antibiotic, and also a steroid drop in case of any inflammation. The first time i used them i.e. night of surgery, the drops stung like hell. But they were fine the following day and beyond.
Sleeping with the plastic eye shields is fun, not. But you get used to it,the wife says i snore, so must be sleeping ok! I had an eye exam the day after surgery and my vision was 2 lines better than 20/20, absolutely amazing. I just stare down the road and cannot believe it. You do get used to the eye drops, although the steriod one is awkward, it is a milky liquid and very messy. Tomorrow i go back for my 7 day check up, see what happens then.
All i can say is my close up vision is not brilliant, maybe my age, 41. Or maybe i have overdone it at work on the computer, who knows. I was told the eyes are just adjusting.
The whole experience is as i say amazing, go for it. I must also say thank you to Mr Jain and ann at shaftesbury avenue. They were great.
ps.sorry ann about all the questions, you were very patient and the wife is coming to you next.