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Tell your doctor your concerns. He will work with you to help you through this. Maybe a mild to moderate seditive to help you relax. He has dealt with people like you before. When I have dental work done they have to give me something to make me not give a damn what they do to me. And then when it's over I ask " are you done already, that's all there was to it?". Both of my parents have had the surgery you are going to have. Both say they didn't feel a thing. Trust your doc. He, or she, has done the procedure hundreds of times before. You will be fine.
I am BETTER than fine. OMG, the sun is shining, the veil is lifted - and only one eye is done. Today we had a post-surgical visit with the doctor and then we went shopping. No glasses for me - the "bad" eye is adjusting and the good is - FANTABULOUS!
Anyone who hasn't had the surgery who is fearful, I will hold your hand through your pre-surgery fears. I was so afraid I was not going to be able to hold up my end: keeping my eye on the light - but it was easy because it's such a short time.
the one thing that I was not prepared for at all was the "bubble wrap" over the face and for a brief second or two, I felt the panic starting but then it was ripped open over the eye and the panic went away. I presume that is why oxygen is inserted in the nose. It really was not a difficult procedure and I'm a huge baby.
But the results are so incredibly worth it. Don't delay (like I did), DO IT.
The new method is to do it all via a needle. Requires no stitch and little to no healing time. Within 24 hours, it's ok to shower, wash face, etc. Plus, I didn't find a need for the sunglasses today - and they're not required.
Anyone who would like to read more in depth about this procedure can do a Google search under the scientific name (which will turn up more technical results), Phacoemulsification. Also, there are newer versions of Phaco that involve not needing reading glasses post-operatively, which is called Crystalens. Definitely worth looking into.
I just had this done 3 weeks ago...it was a piece of cake, really it was. I too, have worn glasses since I was seven...didn't know what I looked like w/o them til I was 32. My correction was -1200 in one eye and -1100 in the other plus I have severe astigmatism...So I had my doubts, worries and concerns too. The docs know they are messing with something precious so they will use the utmost care in your case. Tell them of your fears and tell your nurses too. This is how it was for me..First they put some drops in my eye and they make the eye numb...my eye was numb, my ear was numb, my scalp was numb on that side of my face and my face was numb down to the jawline.. I am dental phobic..I know numb. Then they put in an IV and about 15-20 minutes before the doc comes on board they gave me some seditive..if it isn't enough they give you some more..they did for me because I had an anxiety attack about 19 minutes before the procedure. The doctor could have done an eyeball transplant for all I cared. The surgery took less then 10 minutes...it took longer to get ready then the actual surgery. I will still have to wear glasses because of my astigmastism but there is actually a lense they can use that will correct that too..Anyway..Think good thoughts, try to relax, and I'm sure you'll do fine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NY Annie
You people are so right about it being an easy surgery and so totally worth it.
Surgery was today - my eye was numbed - but not my face, etc. The entire procedure took less than 15 minutes from the time I was given a mild sedative until I was returned to my room.
And OMG, I cannot begin to describe the difference. Having one eye undone, I get to do the comparisons. It is ASTOUNDING - yes I'm shouting. I thought we had horrible lighting in the house - not so! It was my vision. I have a white telephone - I thought it was beige. I can see things - so bright everywhere. The white paint isn't dirty, it was my eyes (so I can stop scrubbing everything over and over). But until I get the other eye done, I cannot drive - the disparity in eye vision is too great and I wind up having to block/close one eye. The computer screen is too bright for the done eye, so I'm not spending a lot of time here - not such a bad thing.
Everything is so amazing. No pain, only a teensy bit of discomfort on the drive home and nothing since then. I am so looking forward to having the 2nd eye done.
If I'd only known what I've been missing, I probably would have gotten this done sooner. Amazing. Astounding. I can see again. Really see.
I've always wanted to have laser eye surgery to correct my vision (no cataracts) but opted for eye glasses and contact lenses instead because of fear, now I can honestly consider having it done...thank you both for this info.
My great grandfather had cataracts so if there is a tendency, I am the one with poor eyes in my family. I had two great grandfathers who went blind but only one was verified in a photo as being caused by cataracts.
Not to change the subject of the thread but the history of treatments for cataracts is an interesting subject. I had always thought it was a modern medical procedure but I note that treatments go back as far as the Egyptians. I discovered this while doing family history and ran across a very distant relative by the name of James Waddell (1739 – 1805), known also as "the blind preacher of Tinkling Springs" of Augusta County, Virginia. I read that he had once traveled some distance to have an unsuccessful cataract operation so this had to be in the late 1700s or very early 1800s.
I am BETTER than fine. OMG, the sun is shining, the veil is lifted - and only one eye is done. Today we had a post-surgical visit with the doctor and then we went shopping. No glasses for me - the "bad" eye is adjusting and the good is - FANTABULOUS!
Anyone who hasn't had the surgery who is fearful, I will hold your hand through your pre-surgery fears. I was so afraid I was not going to be able to hold up my end: keeping my eye on the light - but it was easy because it's such a short time.
the one thing that I was not prepared for at all was the "bubble wrap" over the face and for a brief second or two, I felt the panic starting but then it was ripped open over the eye and the panic went away. I presume that is why oxygen is inserted in the nose. It really was not a difficult procedure and I'm a huge baby.
But the results are so incredibly worth it. Don't delay (like I did), DO IT.
Yes! Do not delay. I had it done yesterday. I have never seen so well in my life. It is a miracle! I was born extremely near-sighted.
Although I am a pretty stoic person, I had "butterflies in my stomach" for the weeks prior to surgery. It was done totally with topical anesthetic- no needles, and Versed by IV. I got in the chair, saw a bright light from an overhead lamp (that was not even touching my eye) for a few seconds and then found myself being helped out of the chair, needing to be told I just had eye surgery! Bubble wrap?? Only the Docs know for sure!
Great anesthesiologist! I told him I wanted to be as close to "gone from the scene" as safely possible and that's what he did. This morning the Dr. chuckled that I had "fallen asleep" and had to be told I had surgery.
There is a little bit of scleral redness and eyelid swelling. This is superficial and not the dangerous type of swelling that can happen (but rarely does). There is minor discomfort at times, nothing at any time that could be called 'pain'.
In 2 weeks I get the other eye done and I am not afraid at all.
What I am concerned about is keeping all the different drops straight when I will still be doing them for the first eye while starting the pre-op regimen for for the second eye, so they will overlap. Guess I will have to make a schedule and check list in Excel for each eye. I will say this about the surgery- it is a slew of drops for a fairly prolonged period of time. I wonder how many people do them perfectly and actually complete the entire drops regimen?
I was given conscious sedation both times and knew nothing! until the nurse said "OK, you're done, wake up."
My mom had that too, she's 66. She had her surgery end of January this year. She was stressed, and axiety ridden for 2 months prior. Once it was done she said "gee it wasn't so bad". She will have the other eye done in the summer. She said her vision has improved in that eye. I went with her and we had to be there at 6am we were home by 7:30 am. Amazing!
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