My appointment was at 2pm and we were to arrive at 1:15pm to get ready for surgery. They were running a little behind so I didn't get back there until 1:40. I was given a series of drops. Anti-bacterial, a steroid, and three rounds of numbing drops. I was also given Valium to help me relax for the procedure.
When it was my turn to go back, I took off my glasses and laid down on a chair that was similar to a dentist's chair. After laying down, I was told to close my eyes. They put a soft patch on my right eye and a large machine over my left eye. When opening drops were put into my eyes and the doctor taped my left upper eye lashes open, and used a metal clamp to hold open my eye (this was super uncomfortable!) He then started moving a spatula like thing along my eye...and not for a few seconds but this went on for over a minute. This somewhat made me very dizzy and faint and I had to speak up and say so. He thought maybe it was from the Valium and I told him I felt severe motion sickness from him moving my eye so much. They added more liquid to help soften the epithelium. After that part was done, I was told to keep staring at the laser and it began to click. I did smell a strange burning like smell but that didn't bother me. I knew that my eye was close to being done at this point. A male nurse counted back from 30 seconds while the laser was going. When that was done, a sponge like material was put along my eye while another nurse counted up. My eye was then irrigated with a saline like solution and a clear contact lens bandage was put on.
When moving over to my right eye, the same soft patch was put over my left eye and the doctor told me that my right eye would go much faster than my left. He explained that my left eye had a lot of scar tissue on it from previous eye infections and he was having trouble removing the cells. (This explains why I couldn't find a good contact lens fit!) When my right eye started it was 15 seconds of the scraping/cell removal, another 30 for the laser and maybe 20 for the sponging and irrigation.
I was a little dizzy when I sat up but I could see the clock on the wall along with faces, and some fine detail. It was definitely still blurry though. My husband and I sat down with the doctor afterwards, he said how things went, and we tried getting an alternative for Vicodin. No luck really, most pain killers don't agree with me.
The nurse then handed us a handful of scripts and instructions (please follow these carefully!!) and away we went. Be sure to ask for samples, explain what kind of prescription coverage you may or may not have, or what they can prescribe for you that's a cheaper alternative. My antibiotic drops were $55 alone. We spent around $100 on scripts that evening. After spending as much as I did for my surgery, you'd think they would provide these prescriptions but what do I know?
I put on my sunglasses and at first the light didn't bother me. It wasn't until we were starting the ride home that the light was almost unbearable. I kept my glasses on, closed my eyes, and proceeded to feel carsick all the way home.
I get home and get right into bed. My husband then goes and fills all of my prescriptions which I take as soon as we get them. I decided to take 1/2 of the 500mg Vicodin because my left eye was burning. I figured it would be hurting so much more later since it was supposed to still be numb. I wanted to hit the pain before it hit me.
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