A life-changing 30 minutes.
After a pseudo "alien abduction" experience, I have regained what I lost for 30 years.
It all started with the change of clothes to scrubs. That hideous scrub epitomized the flaw in my vision. The kind nurse briefed me thoroughly about the procedure, before instilling anaesthesia to my eyes several times. As I waited nervously for the doctor's pre-op consultation, I felt my cornea growing thicker by the minute. I wondered why the sensation of my cornea was rather enhanced after the anaesthesia.
The doctor, all set in professional scrubs, greeted me warmly and examined my flawed eyes one last time. My eyes felt an odd, cold sensation as he marked my cornea with a fine-point felt pen at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions of the iris. I looked like a work in progress cyborg. How I wish I could have taken a picture of myself.
After a few more minutes of waiting, I bid farewell to my heavy glasses and left them in the waiting booth. Guided by the nurse, I began Part 1 of my metamorphosis - Intralase corneal flap cutting. Lying on the bed, I was snuggly covered with a warm blanket, feeling nervous and ecstatic at the same time. My left eye was fitted with a suction cup. As the suction began, my vision disappeared for a few seconds, after then my eye was bombarded by bright silver light in a circular formation. A chilling "cracking" sound was heard, although I had no idea what it was for. 10 seconds later, my left corneal flap was done. Now, my right eye.
I rested in my waiting booth for 20 minutes. The nurse told me the eyes needed time to "release the bubbles". I assume it was a consoling way to say "balance out the pressure of the cornea". My eyes didn't hurt, no sensation whatsoever, but I prefer to visualize the bubbles fizzing away from my cornea, like sparkling champagne.
Part 2 began as I entered another operating room for the actual laser sculpting of my cornea. The lack of a skull-securing device worried me a bit. I looked at the green light high above my head, which appeared as a fuzzy frozen firework , as instructed by the kind doctor. I was amazed at the height of the lights, for it was at least 5 feet from my head.
After taping my right eyelids open, the doctor traced the outline of my iris to open the corneal flap using a thin wire-like instrument. My already blurry world was even blurrier, as if engulfed by a menacingly thick fog. A wonderful display of red lights ensued as the laser sculpted my thick cornea to the perfect curvature. My eyes felt nothing, yet I couldn't help but saying to myself, this must be what it's like to be abducted by aliens. Totally helpless, totally vulnerable in the lights. I have never tried so hard NOT to divert my gaze from an object. A strange burnt scent confirmed the vaporization of my cornea.
Humming sounds of the laser machine stopped 20 seconds later. Gushes of saline flooded my eye as the doctor meticulously smoothened the flap back onto the cornea, using a tiny plastic scraper. The moment he was done, miraculously, the previously fuzzy green firework imploded into a single green light! My left eye welcomed the repeat procedure with a fervent desire.
As I walked out from the operating room, the world was in a much solid form than it was when I entered. The doctor re-examined my eyes before letting me out to explore the new and improved world. From his expression, I could tell he was quite pleased with the operation. His satisfaction is minuscule compared to the joy I was about to experience. My eyes were shielded with a sci-fi nerdish plastic eye piece secured with surgical tape to my forehead and cheeks.
Once home, I went to bed as instructed. Giddy from my newfound vision, I could barely keep my eyes closed. Failing to fall asleep, my eyes started to feel a burning sensation and tears were unstoppable. The nurse informed that this is a normal reaction which normally will cease in a few hours. After some tossing and turning, I managed to sleep through the next 4 hours. Peering through the see-through eye piece, my eyes embraced each and every object in my room with precise focus!
A check up this morning confirmed I am now down to just 50 degrees astigmatism and 25 degrees myopia. Time is still needed for my eyes to heal and stablize, but I am forever optically transformed, technically speaking.
After a pseudo "alien abduction" experience, I have regained what I lost for 30 years.
It all started with the change of clothes to scrubs. That hideous scrub epitomized the flaw in my vision. The kind nurse briefed me thoroughly about the procedure, before instilling anaesthesia to my eyes several times. As I waited nervously for the doctor's pre-op consultation, I felt my cornea growing thicker by the minute. I wondered why the sensation of my cornea was rather enhanced after the anaesthesia.
The doctor, all set in professional scrubs, greeted me warmly and examined my flawed eyes one last time. My eyes felt an odd, cold sensation as he marked my cornea with a fine-point felt pen at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions of the iris. I looked like a work in progress cyborg. How I wish I could have taken a picture of myself.
After a few more minutes of waiting, I bid farewell to my heavy glasses and left them in the waiting booth. Guided by the nurse, I began Part 1 of my metamorphosis - Intralase corneal flap cutting. Lying on the bed, I was snuggly covered with a warm blanket, feeling nervous and ecstatic at the same time. My left eye was fitted with a suction cup. As the suction began, my vision disappeared for a few seconds, after then my eye was bombarded by bright silver light in a circular formation. A chilling "cracking" sound was heard, although I had no idea what it was for. 10 seconds later, my left corneal flap was done. Now, my right eye.
I rested in my waiting booth for 20 minutes. The nurse told me the eyes needed time to "release the bubbles". I assume it was a consoling way to say "balance out the pressure of the cornea". My eyes didn't hurt, no sensation whatsoever, but I prefer to visualize the bubbles fizzing away from my cornea, like sparkling champagne.
Part 2 began as I entered another operating room for the actual laser sculpting of my cornea. The lack of a skull-securing device worried me a bit. I looked at the green light high above my head, which appeared as a fuzzy frozen firework , as instructed by the kind doctor. I was amazed at the height of the lights, for it was at least 5 feet from my head.
After taping my right eyelids open, the doctor traced the outline of my iris to open the corneal flap using a thin wire-like instrument. My already blurry world was even blurrier, as if engulfed by a menacingly thick fog. A wonderful display of red lights ensued as the laser sculpted my thick cornea to the perfect curvature. My eyes felt nothing, yet I couldn't help but saying to myself, this must be what it's like to be abducted by aliens. Totally helpless, totally vulnerable in the lights. I have never tried so hard NOT to divert my gaze from an object. A strange burnt scent confirmed the vaporization of my cornea.
Humming sounds of the laser machine stopped 20 seconds later. Gushes of saline flooded my eye as the doctor meticulously smoothened the flap back onto the cornea, using a tiny plastic scraper. The moment he was done, miraculously, the previously fuzzy green firework imploded into a single green light! My left eye welcomed the repeat procedure with a fervent desire.
As I walked out from the operating room, the world was in a much solid form than it was when I entered. The doctor re-examined my eyes before letting me out to explore the new and improved world. From his expression, I could tell he was quite pleased with the operation. His satisfaction is minuscule compared to the joy I was about to experience. My eyes were shielded with a sci-fi nerdish plastic eye piece secured with surgical tape to my forehead and cheeks.
Once home, I went to bed as instructed. Giddy from my newfound vision, I could barely keep my eyes closed. Failing to fall asleep, my eyes started to feel a burning sensation and tears were unstoppable. The nurse informed that this is a normal reaction which normally will cease in a few hours. After some tossing and turning, I managed to sleep through the next 4 hours. Peering through the see-through eye piece, my eyes embraced each and every object in my room with precise focus!
A check up this morning confirmed I am now down to just 50 degrees astigmatism and 25 degrees myopia. Time is still needed for my eyes to heal and stablize, but I am forever optically transformed, technically speaking.
1 comment:
My carnivorous self has been way too active these days...It's the Dine Out season in Van afterall! XD
Oh btw, I'm coming to HK for a week in May for a school program! Can't wait! =D
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