I know alot of people ask about the PRK procedure, so I thought I would just post how mine went.
Dr. William H. Qualye
Houston Eye Associates
Houston (duh)
Surgery Time: Approx: 0930
Tuesday
Go to doctor for final preliminary checkup. Check eyes again and get prescription for two valium and disinfectant eye drops.
Wednesday
Arrive at surgery center 0800, go through various pre-operating room procedures, AKA read lots of magazines, sign paperwork, disinfect eye area, do Wavefront readings, take valium, pay $3400.
0930 Begin surgery in room about 20 degrees Farenheit. Not an exactly painful surgery, but annoying with eyelids being taped up/down with some kind of metal apparatus holding eyelids open. Lots of ice cold eyedrops. Anesthetic applied with squeege. Little squeegee like things wetting the eye and wiping the eye. Then they cleaned (I guess) the eye with this electric rotating toothbrush kind of thing. Hard to focus on the "little orange flashing light." Eyes getting very tired and felt like they might just roll back into my head; maybe it was just the valium. Actual laser procedure lasted about 30 seconds and smells like when you get you get teeth grinded/drilled; I've heard people it says like burning hair, but I don't know what that smells like. They did have a little suction tube that sucked the air in so at least it didn't linger. Repeat with left eye. *sigh* And whenever there is a period (.) in this paragraph add more ice cold eyedrops.
1015 Move to post-op room where you sit in big comfy recliners with those fancy aluminum foil blankets that work like a charm. Eyes very tired. (You're supposed to keep your eyes closed.) I can see the outline of the door across the hall and read the restroom sign, but there is an overall haze. Relax in here for about 30 minutes. I fall asleep for about 20 minutes. Nurse comes in to put "bandage contacts" in. They were supposed to do this in the OR, but for some reason they were having trouble. Before they put those in, it felt like I had something in my eye and hurt to blink. After they put the contacts in, it relieves the pain greatly.
1100 I am released and I can actually see. I can muthafrackin see. With a very very slight haze when trying to read (which I'm not). Extreme sensitivity to light. I am given a bag full of different teardrops, and extra tape for the plastic shields to wear when you sleep (which I am wearing as I leave) and prescriptions for Tylenol 3 (Codine) and sleeping pills.
1200 Get home, have lunch, take required/designated four hour sleep (with eye shields and after taking last valium).
1600 Wake up, have dinner, and watch King Kong, (only thing I can really do is relax, listen to the radio, or watch TV. (I had to type this in size 22 type.))
The movie gets a little blurry have way through. (My doctor said before the surgery I would become clear then get fuzzy then get clear again.) I can still see what time it is, but it has a fuzziness to it. Lights do have a halo/haze.
2200 Take sleeping pill, 30 minutes later try to go to sleep (with eye shields). Even with pill don't fall asleep till around 2400.
Thursday
0900 Wake up, do antibotic drops, take Centrum, take two regular Exedrin painkillers, and 1000 mg of Vitamin C. Feel fine for about 30 minutes till left eye occasionally hurts fairly bad. Not till after doctor's check up (1100) does the right one start to hurt. Go home, do rewetting drops, then later use pain killer drops. I can still see fairly well. Take a one hour nap.
1300 Wake up from nap, eyes hurting still, but a bit milder. Use antibotic drops. Wearing sunglasses everywhere, sometimes even inside.
<end for now (1400, Wed), will update later>
Dr. William H. Qualye
Houston Eye Associates
Houston (duh)
Surgery Time: Approx: 0930
Tuesday
Go to doctor for final preliminary checkup. Check eyes again and get prescription for two valium and disinfectant eye drops.
Wednesday
Arrive at surgery center 0800, go through various pre-operating room procedures, AKA read lots of magazines, sign paperwork, disinfect eye area, do Wavefront readings, take valium, pay $3400.
0930 Begin surgery in room about 20 degrees Farenheit. Not an exactly painful surgery, but annoying with eyelids being taped up/down with some kind of metal apparatus holding eyelids open. Lots of ice cold eyedrops. Anesthetic applied with squeege. Little squeegee like things wetting the eye and wiping the eye. Then they cleaned (I guess) the eye with this electric rotating toothbrush kind of thing. Hard to focus on the "little orange flashing light." Eyes getting very tired and felt like they might just roll back into my head; maybe it was just the valium. Actual laser procedure lasted about 30 seconds and smells like when you get you get teeth grinded/drilled; I've heard people it says like burning hair, but I don't know what that smells like. They did have a little suction tube that sucked the air in so at least it didn't linger. Repeat with left eye. *sigh* And whenever there is a period (.) in this paragraph add more ice cold eyedrops.
1015 Move to post-op room where you sit in big comfy recliners with those fancy aluminum foil blankets that work like a charm. Eyes very tired. (You're supposed to keep your eyes closed.) I can see the outline of the door across the hall and read the restroom sign, but there is an overall haze. Relax in here for about 30 minutes. I fall asleep for about 20 minutes. Nurse comes in to put "bandage contacts" in. They were supposed to do this in the OR, but for some reason they were having trouble. Before they put those in, it felt like I had something in my eye and hurt to blink. After they put the contacts in, it relieves the pain greatly.
1100 I am released and I can actually see. I can muthafrackin see. With a very very slight haze when trying to read (which I'm not). Extreme sensitivity to light. I am given a bag full of different teardrops, and extra tape for the plastic shields to wear when you sleep (which I am wearing as I leave) and prescriptions for Tylenol 3 (Codine) and sleeping pills.
1200 Get home, have lunch, take required/designated four hour sleep (with eye shields and after taking last valium).
1600 Wake up, have dinner, and watch King Kong, (only thing I can really do is relax, listen to the radio, or watch TV. (I had to type this in size 22 type.))
The movie gets a little blurry have way through. (My doctor said before the surgery I would become clear then get fuzzy then get clear again.) I can still see what time it is, but it has a fuzziness to it. Lights do have a halo/haze.
2200 Take sleeping pill, 30 minutes later try to go to sleep (with eye shields). Even with pill don't fall asleep till around 2400.
Thursday
0900 Wake up, do antibotic drops, take Centrum, take two regular Exedrin painkillers, and 1000 mg of Vitamin C. Feel fine for about 30 minutes till left eye occasionally hurts fairly bad. Not till after doctor's check up (1100) does the right one start to hurt. Go home, do rewetting drops, then later use pain killer drops. I can still see fairly well. Take a one hour nap.
1300 Wake up from nap, eyes hurting still, but a bit milder. Use antibotic drops. Wearing sunglasses everywhere, sometimes even inside.
<end for now (1400, Wed), will update later>
