I've watched one of those surgeries before and it did scare the crap out of me, but that's just because I'm totally squeemish about those kinds of things. I'm still confused about the flap thing. It kinda sounds like the flap is never fully healed? I didn't realize they could re-open it after some months to do corrections. I guess I just assumed that it was like skin and just healed back together. Is it kind of like a scar then?
Anyway, good luck! I think you're making a good decision, and I'll hopefully be following in your footsteps in the next year or two! :-)
I'm still confused about the flap thing. It kinda sounds like the flap is never fully healed?
That's difficult to answer with a yes or no. I'll say "kind of." It sits tightly, stuck to the rest of the cornea, the edges reintegrate a great deal, and something called the "epithelial layer" quickly regrows over the flap and the surrounding eye.
But it's never as strong as the cornea was originally. Reopening is hard to do, especially with flaps created with the IntraLASE laser, and the surgeon likens it to a lock and key, i.e. you have to know exactly how to do it.
I just got out of my dental cleaning way early, so I'm about to leave for the procedure. Turns out my dentist had LASIK two years ago with the same surgeon I'm seeing, and he says it was great. Here's hoping it's everything everyone says it is!
The first laser, the IntraLASE, which creates the flap by zapping air bubbles slightly below the surface of the cornea, is very quiet. They put suction cups and other stuff (clamps, maybe, I couldn't tell) to keep my eyes immobilized (after antibiotic and numbing drops). I saw funky dark purple effects and dots popping up while the laser was working.
Then I waited for half an hour while the air bubbles rose to the surface and made the flap. They gave me a shit ton of dilating drops at this point.
After that they again immobilized my eyes with stuff I couldn't make out, then had me stare at a flashing red light while the excimer laser ablated the exposed cornea. I saw mostly white lights in addition to the flashing red light. This laser makes a loud clucking sound and emits a burning smell (or maybe that was my corneal tissue).
Certain aspects were uncomfortable, but nothing was bad enough to be called pain. The entire visit took about two hours, and most of it was spent waiting.
It went VERY well, and in fact, did go by in a blur. A speed blur, at least. I was there for two hours, but it only seemed like 30 minutes. Probably have the Valium to thank for that.
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Anyway, good luck! I think you're making a good decision, and I'll hopefully be following in your footsteps in the next year or two! :-)
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That's difficult to answer with a yes or no. I'll say "kind of." It sits tightly, stuck to the rest of the cornea, the edges reintegrate a great deal, and something called the "epithelial layer" quickly regrows over the flap and the surrounding eye.
But it's never as strong as the cornea was originally. Reopening is hard to do, especially with flaps created with the IntraLASE laser, and the surgeon likens it to a lock and key, i.e. you have to know exactly how to do it.
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I just got out of my dental cleaning way early, so I'm about to leave for the procedure. Turns out my dentist had LASIK two years ago with the same surgeon I'm seeing, and he says it was great. Here's hoping it's everything everyone says it is!
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The first laser, the IntraLASE, which creates the flap by zapping air bubbles slightly below the surface of the cornea, is very quiet. They put suction cups and other stuff (clamps, maybe, I couldn't tell) to keep my eyes immobilized (after antibiotic and numbing drops). I saw funky dark purple effects and dots popping up while the laser was working.
Then I waited for half an hour while the air bubbles rose to the surface and made the flap. They gave me a shit ton of dilating drops at this point.
After that they again immobilized my eyes with stuff I couldn't make out, then had me stare at a flashing red light while the excimer laser ablated the exposed cornea. I saw mostly white lights in addition to the flashing red light. This laser makes a loud clucking sound and emits a burning smell (or maybe that was my corneal tissue).
Certain aspects were uncomfortable, but nothing was bad enough to be called pain. The entire visit took about two hours, and most of it was spent waiting.
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Yes, that was me attempting to be punny.
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