On Valentine’s Day I had a date with to the Doctor’s…

While people across the country were getting beautiful bouquets of roses, heart shaped containers full of chocolates, or at least a greeting card, I was getting holes lasered into my eyeballs..so romantic.

I did receive 2 cards: 1 was from my Aunt and Uncle. On the front was a picture of a man in a bottle, and the inside read, “Add water.” I assumed it meant to add water to grow the perfect man, but now I’m thinking that it could have also meant add water to drown the man. Eh, either way…

I also got a card from my parents. This isn’t weird. I saw a stat on the news that said, “about 40% of the 180 million Valentine’s cards purchased will be done so by parents.”

*sigh* Eye Can’t Win

I had to get an Iridotomy on Valentine’s Day since I am scheduled for ICL surgeries in the upcoming weeks. Essentially, it’s a procedure that relieves pressure build up in the eye. The ICLs (like a contact lens implant) that are going in my eye don’t have a hole in the center like ones they are using in Europe. Since it takes a while for FDA approval, mine won’t have the hole in the center to help the fluid flow through so holes had to be created in my eyeballs instead. I didn’t realize it was the procedure they use on Glaucoma patients until after I had it done. The night before I wasn’t allowed to eat after midnight or wear makeup. Here is a review of the process.

What You Can Expect

It wasn’t so bad. You rest your chin and push your forehead against the bar like in the regular machines they use to do eye tests. Then, my doctor had to find the thin part of the iris by using thermal heat. He told me that I would feel a twinge during this, but I didn’t really feel anything. It’s the actual lasering of holes that was uncomfortable. My doctor described it as getting a rubberband flicked at you, which I didn’t think would be too bad, but as I’ve never had a rubberband flicked at my actual eye before it was worse than I expected. For some reason, I had it in my head that it was only going to be a couple zaps, but I think it was at least 8 or so in both eyes (my iris was thick). I guess it varies from patient to patient. It was a pretty quick procedure and really wasn’t too painful (the analogy was a pretty good one if you think about it in regard to your eye and not your skin). It definitely could have been worse.

Aftermath

For some reason they tell you that you can go to work afterwards. Technically, I guess I could have, but I definitely wouldn’t have been that productive. There are so many different drops in your eyes including a gel that they use for the procedure that need to flush out first. I also experienced a headache afterwards (not major), even though they had given me Tylenol beforehand. There is also a ton of debris floating around your eye from what I over-exaggerate to be a huge explosion from the laser. I have a prescription for eye drops that I put in 4 times the first day, 3 times the 2nd day…2 times…1 time, which look milky and sting slightly. I was exhausted afterwards probably mostly from nerves and an early appointment. I didn’t have a headache or pain the next day. Now I’m just waiting for surgery on my right eye on February 28. Wish me luck!