I just had LASIK surgery done on both my eyes a few hours ago and thought I’d document my experience for all my friends who are thinking about getting it as well.
The first thing I had to do was consider the surgeon and clinic where I’d be getting the procedure done. I ended up going to Dr. Larrazabal at the Centre for Sight in Cebu Doctors Hospital for 3 reasons: 1) He is the most experienced in this procedure outside of Metro Manila and is considered by many to be the best in Cebu as well as the rest of Visayas and Mindanao, 2) the facilities are excellent, with the latest, state-of-the-art technology and equipment and 3) my parents, who are both doctors in CDH, know and trust him. If you’re thinking of getting LASIK, I think you should scout around and compare prices. Larrazabal is pricier but I trust him more (and when it comes to my eyes I’d rather be safe than sorry).
Next, I had to get screened by an optometrist to see if I was qualified to have it done. I went to the clinic where they took extensive measurements and did an eye exam, as well as checked the overall health of my cornea. Finally I was cleared and I was able to talk to Dr. Larrazabal about the procedure and he did one last final check-up.
I was also given the choice to get either traditional LASIK (a motorized blade is used to create a flap in the cornea before the laser is used to reshape the tissue underneath) or all-laser (no blade). Centre for Sight is the only facility in the country outside of Manila that has the world’s fastest Femtosecond Laser. It costs more but apparently is more precise (PhP50,000 for traditional; PhP95,000 for bladeless). However, due to budget constraints I decided to go for traditional LASIK and was given a checklist of things to prepare for surgery the next day.
I arrived about an hour before the scheduled procedure and was given a sedative. Then I was ushered into the prep area with several other patients (they do a lot of patients in one day) and made to wear a smock and hair cap. They put numbing drops in my eyes, cleaned and sterilized the eye area and we were told to sit and wait for our names to be called one at a time.
It was a bit nerve-wracking as the line got shorter and shorter until it was my turn. Then I was called into the room.
The doctor greeted me, told me to lie down on the padded bench and I was positioned under the machine. This is when I started to freak out a little inside but I did my usual dentist chair routine (wiggle my fingers and toes to distract my brain from what’s going on). Then he put a brace over my eyelid to keep it from closing and told me to look straight at the green light on the machine. This was the most uncomfortable part of the procedure but it wasn’t too bad. He placed a suction ring over my eye to keep my eyeball from moving (your eye goes temporarily blind during this step). Then he used a motorized blade to cut a flap in my cornea and the flap was pulled back. This felt really weird but not painful at all. Then the laser was used to reshape the tissue under the flap. There was a funny burning smell while this happened. It only took a few seconds, then the doctor closed the flap and removed the brace. Then this whole thing was repeated for my other eye. Total time on the bench: less than 10 minutes.
After that, I was led back to the prep area and antibiotic drops were put in my eyes before I was told to keep them closed for about 15 minutes. My eyes felt like I had a small speck of dust in them, which is normal. Then Dr. Larrazabal checked to see if everything looked ok, which it was. After that, my smock and cap were removed, I was led outside, given my medication kit and follow-up appointment and that was that!
Immediately after, my vision was very hazy and my eyes were very light sensitive so my sister, Vida, had to drive me home. I was still pretty doped up so I slept almost as soon as I got home (which is why I’m wide awake at 2AM).
I noticed an immediate difference when I woke up. Even though my vision is still a little blurry, I can already read words on things from across the room. I still have a foreign-body sensation in my eye, like I’ve been wearing contacts for too long.
I have a follow-up checkup later but I’m pretty confident that the procedure went as well as I’d hoped. I can’t wait until my eyes completely heal in a month! I can’t go swimming until then and I have to wear goggles for 2 weeks.
I have wanted to get this done for about 5 years already but never had the means to pay for it until now. I am so grateful to God for allowing me the opportunity to do this and for keeping me safe throughout the procedure. And I’m also very thankful to my parents who are shouldering half of the expenses and are letting me pay them back in installments. 🙂 I love you, Mom and Dad! This is the best gift I’m ever going to get in my whole life!
