Posts filed under 'LASIK'
At 9am, I was escorted back to the doctor for my morning-after exam. I stumbled on the gap between the train and the platform again. Following instructions, I had kept my eyes closed since leaving the previous day and only opened them for the exam. My vision was about 20/40 in each eye, which added up to a 20/35 effective vision. This was right after they were lubricated by artificial tears.
I spent the day groping around my aparment blind. After a while, it was strangely enjoyable. My spatial perception without using vision was basically non-existant at the start and improving it was a lot of fun. It did get boring after a while, but I was prepared. I had Harry Potter 5 (Order of the Phoenix) and 6 (Half-Blood Prince) on CD in anticipation of 4 visionless days.
I found that listening to a book on CD was quite difficult. When I read, I like to scan at a fast pace and skip back and forth between passages. Often, tangential thoughts would occur to me and I’d stop and explore those thoughts before returning to the reading. While listening to the CDs, I found myself frustrated not only by the slow pace, but the requirement for concentration at all times. Whenever my attention drifted, which was very often initially, it was a hassle to rewind and find the right spot again. What made it worthwhile was Jim Dale, who is excellent. His voice is incredibly emotive, and he gives every character a distinct voice and accent.
While listening to Harry Potter with my eyes closed, I rolled around on a golf ball to release my trigger points. By the end of the day, my muscles were the most relaxed they’ve been in a while. It felt great; no wonder day spas are so popular. I’m amazed that wealthy, retired people don’t spend half the day getting massages. Or maybe they do.
Tip: If the room is not warm, hold the vial of artificial tears in your hand for a minute to heat it up. Your eyes will thank you.
June 22nd, 2006
| Updated: August 16, 2006
I was schedule to be there at 4pm, but there was yet another scheduling problem, so I showed up at my new time of 3:15pm. Coming in early turned out to be pointless because they were running behind. I waited for over an hour in the lobby listening to music with my eyes closed.
I wasn’t really excited or nervous. In fact, I initially refused the valium they wanted to give me, but the operating technician insisted. As a result, I fell asleep sleep on the operating chair (like a fully-reclined dentist chair) during the prepping. Having my CD mix playing in the opearting room really helped.
The doctoru started by using eyelid speculi to hold my eyelids open. A quick rinse with water and it was time to start the procedure. He did my right eye first. The separation of the epithelial layer felt quick and painless. He used a tool to brush the flap off to the side. I then dutifully stared at the red/orange blinking light as the laser turned on. It made loud noises which sounded like a mosquito getting zapped by those UV lamps with electrified cages. Coinciding with the zapping noises were blue and orange flame-like bursts in the middle of my vision. I felt like I was watching a virtual fireworks display. The entire process was pain-free and took only a few minutes.
The left eye was a slightly different story. As the plastic blade/machine sucked up my eye to remove the epithelial layer, I felt this nasty pain. I can only describe it as a combination of itchiness, tickling and needle-stabbing sensations. Very unpleasant. Caused me to twitch my legs slightly and death-grip my girlfriend’s hand. In retrospect, I think the doctor didn’t press down as much on the left side, causing my eye to come up further out of the socket than it liked. Thankfully, it was soon over and the fireworks started again.
Getting up from the operating table, the doctor told me to open my eyes and look at the clock on the wall. I could see it early, but it wasn’t all that exciting because my vision wasn’t bad enough to not read clocks on the wall. The assistants put more drops in my eyes and taped the eyelids shut.
Leaving the surgery was very interesting. I had practiced being led around the city blind, but this time my eyes were taped shut so I couldn’t cheat. It was amazing how many cracks and uneven sidewalk panels there are in NYC. Intersections were the worst, since the cars going by sounded much louder blind and it was difficult to judge how far away they were.
Since I was starving, we went to get food at Maroons nearby. They have some great items on the menu, including a killer meatloaf, the best jerk chicken in Manhattan, and buttery smooth cornbread. Eating blind, I got much more of the texture and taste, but my mind kept trying to picture what the food looked like. Afterwards, we hopped on the A train (that gap between the platform and the train is dangerous!) and went home. I fell asleep pretty much instantly.
June 21st, 2006
| Updated: August 7, 2006
Here are my experiences with free LASIK consultations in NYC:
Diamond Vision: First free consultation I went to. The offices were clean and nice and there were a lot of patients waiting in the lobby. The exam felt a bit rushed and the guy didn’t explain certain things well and also had trouble answering some of my questions. Their advertised $399 per eye ballooned to almost $5000 for both eyes. I didn’t really feel good about the place when I left. My instincts were validated when I saw this segment on CBS News.
Kelly Laser Center (James Kelly): The office was smaller than I thought it would be, but very quiet and clean. What marketing folks would call a “boutique” operation. The guy that examined me was very good and answered my questions well, although his answers about LASEK and Epi-LASIK didn’t seem make sense to me. He said that they tried Epi-LASIK and then went back to PRK because it didn’t really yield better results because the epithelial flap would die. It seemed like he was talking about LASEK where the alcohol kills the epithelial flap. Also, they used an LADARVision laser instead of the VISX Star S4.
Mandel Vision (Eric Mandel): The office was medium sized with a lot of assistants. This place was very organized and professional, and the examination was by far the best out of all the ones I went to. Mandel personally finished the examination and answers questions. He was a bit of a showsman, but his answers were generally very good. He said the same thing about PRK vs Epi-LASIK, but again, it seemed like he was talking about LASEK and the answer was a bit weak.
New York Eye Specialists (Ken Moadel): Reminded me of Diamond Vision but dirtier and grungier. Lots of patients and they also had the $399 per eye ads and celebrity endorsements. Why was I even there? I gave up after waiting in the lobby for a half an hour past my appointment time.
IWANT2020 (Emil Chynn): The staff members were disorganized. They had me down for a different time than the one I was scheduled, causing a long wait. The layout of the office was poor. Also, the examination was nowhere near as good as the one given by Mandel’s staff. However, the doctor gave me what seemed like very good, honest (almost blunt) answers. I got a chance to watch someone else get their surgery done. I would recommend this for everyone; it allows you to see the whole process and exactly what’s involved. Hopefully, I’ll also be a better patient because I know what to expect.
In the end, I went with Dr. Chynn for 3 reasons: his track record and background, his blunt, honest answers, and the fact that he was the only experienced doctor who was doing Epi-LASIK (which I decided to go with). His administrative staff is terrible, though. If Mandel had offered Epi-LASIK, I probably would have gone with him. FYI, everyone quoted me a price between $4400 and $4700.
Update: Gotham Lasik/Vision and Pamel Vision & Laser Group might be worth checking out. They use the Allegretto Wave, a new laser system designed from scratch to maximize the benefits of custom correction. It seems promising, with peak performance on par with the VISX S4, but with better general performance and a wider optical cone (for better night vision). However, the guy who runs the clinical trials for the Allegretto Wave is also a paid consultant for the company. Potentially a problem, but still, it’s worth a look.
June 19th, 2006
| Updated: September 5, 2006
Everyone has heard of LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) these days. You see ads for it everywhere and you know someone (or someone who knows someone) who’s had it done. I decided a few months back that I would get it done this year. Not all people are candidates for LASIK; the worse your eyes, the less suitable. My eyes aren’t terrible, -3.25 and -3.50 (moderate myopia) with a slight astigmatism in one eye. There are also other factors to consider, and a good LASIK doctor will talk to you about any potential risks and problems.
Things to Consider:
Epi-LASIK: An improved version of LASEK (uses alcohol solution) and PRK. There is no flap created, minimizing weakening to your eye structure. Most LASIK problems stem from flap complications. See other possible advantages. If you decide to go with Epi-LASIK, Norwood EyeCare (they make the plastic blade) has a directory of Epi-LASIK doctors.
IntraLase: Using a laser to cut the flap instead of a blade. It supposedly reduces complications but also introduces a complication of its own. My personal choice was to go flapless with Epi-LASIK and avoid the issue altogether.
Custom/Wavefront LASIK: Precise vision correction based on the individual shapes of each eye. Better than 20/20, better night-time vision, etc. Basically, there is no reason not to get this.
Post-Operation Follow-Up: There should be a year of free check-ups and fixing any complications. Also, if the results are not 20/20 or better, there should be enhancement surgery for a minimal fee.
Almost every LASIK doctor gives free consulations. Take advantage of these and use them as a chance to interview the doctors. Look for these positive signs:
- Asking you to use artificial tears before your free consultation (Moisturized eyes yield more accurate results).
- Having the latest equipment (VISX Star S4 at the time of this writing).
- The doctors has an excellent track record and answers your questions at the end of the exam or personally does your exam.
- No celebrity endorsements, no misleading sales tactics concerning price, e.g. only $399 per eye! until you get there, and then it’s actually $2000+ per eye.
Do your research and trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, walk away.
Legal Disclaimer: You should follow my advice at your own risk; I am not giving medical advice nor am I responsible for the consequences of your application of the information. Check with your doctor before trying out new treatments.
June 1st, 2006
| Updated: September 5, 2006