8/6/09 Surgery Day

I was instructed to eat a light breakfast, take my normal medications, and dress comfortably. I arrived at 8:30 am and went right in. They put in the numbing drops and gave me Valium and Motrin. I put on a hair net and funny slippers. They marked my face with 2 D’s for distance. They gave me a cute little stuffed animal to hold- Mikey the Moose, named after the surgeon, Dr. Michael Walker. They took me into the laser room and my husband sat right outside and watched the whole thing through the window. It was freezing in there! More drops, then one eye at a time they taped my eyelashes up, put a clamp on my eye to keep it open, more drops, then the doc scraped off the epithelium (outer layer of clear skin), then the laser. The machine came over my eye and I saw a green light surrounded by white lights. I stared at the green light, heard clicking, and it smelled nasty. I think this lasted about 10 seconds. More drops. Then they flushed the eye with water, put on a protective contact lens, took off the clamp and the tape, and we were done! The whole thing was very quick and painless. There was a little discomfort from the clamp (I have some bruising) and the water was cold, but not unbearable. I sat up and I could read the clock across the room! Walking in, I didn’t even see that there was a clock! Amazing!! They gave me more drops to take home, and I was out of there by 9:30.

I was instructed to sleep as much as I could (which was easy from the Valium), not watch TV or read, and not be on a computer. I have to wear sunglasses or goggles at all times for the next 5 days so I don’t touch my eyes. I slept for 4 hours as soon as I got home. When I woke up I reached for my glasses as I always do, then I caught myself and smiled because I’ll never wear them again! I slept on and off for most of the day, putting in the drops every 2 hours. The only discomfort I had was dryness upon opening my eyes, which was immediately soothed by the drops.