Y’all, I Can’t See: My LASIK Surgery Experience

As of 3:30pm EST this afternoon, I will be 1-week post op of my LASIK surgery.

LASIK has never really crossed my mind until recently. I “yolo”-ed and invested in a membership to a (very fancy) gym with the objective of motivating myself into working out more, and the glasses-and-COVID-mask combo was just not working for me in moments of extrenuous activity. My glasses were constantly falling off my face, and they annoyingly fogged up the very second my body temperature rose by a degree. I have always been content wearing glasses: they’re relatively inexpensive, and they add a little personality and pizzaz to any outfit. However, because of my place of employment, the opportunity of getting eye-corrective surgery was presented to me, and I seized it without hesitation.

So, what is LASIK anyway?

LASIK (Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is a commonly performed laser refractive surgery that corrects the following vision problems:

Myopia (Nearsightedness): a condition in which an image of a distant object becomes focused in front of the retina, making distant objects appear out of focus

Hyperopia (Farsightedness): a condition in which an image of a distant object becomes focused behind the retina, making objects up close appear out of focus.

Astigmatism: a condition in which an abnormal curvature of the cornea can cause two focal points to fall in two different locations, making objects up close and at a distance appear blurry

(Source: Boston Children’s Hospital)

Joseph J. Allen, O.D., F.A.A.O explains the difference between nearsightedness vs. farsightedness. (Source: Youtube.com)

I have (or had; I have my 1-week followup at 9:55am today) astigmatism. Some signs/symptoms of astigmatism that an individual may experience are:

• blurry vision that worsen at night
• squinting (I am such a squinter, y’all)
• eye pain
• headaches (I tend to experience random, prolonged migraines)

I was completely unaware at the fact that this procedure would correct this condition, but I was also questioned, and was very weary that, having this surgery could possibly enhance the issue(s) that I already have (or cause new ones). Still, I did all the necessary research, found a top ophthalmologist in Boston, attended a complimentary consultation in October, asked all the questions, and before you know it, scheduled my surgery 8 weeks from the day, on Friday, December 10th.

The Location

I had my procedure done at Boston Vision in Brookline, MA. As a reference, Boston Vision has 5 locations in total.

The Doctor

Dr. Jason Brenner, MD perfomed my LASIK eye surgery. I chose him based off of his academic background, accolades, and currently-held titles.

For reference: I always, always, ALWAYS use the most updated Top Docs from Boston Magazine (among other resources) when looking for a medical professional. This especially is a great tool to use when looking for a specialist. I also want to note that there were 2–3 other ophthalmologists I was looking into (Reza Dana, Marc A. Leibole, and Peter Y. Chang), but they were either hard to get ahold of, expected a down payment for the consultation, or was not stationed at one practice. Please take factors like availability into consideration when choosing a specialist: you do not want someone who does not have five (5) minutes to talk to you performing something as intrictae and detailed as eye surgery on you. But hey, that’s just me.

The Consultation

I was able to schedule a consult with Dr. Brenner one (1) week after calling the Brookline office. You have an option of booking appointments, including consultations, online, but I am quite old-school, and I prefer to speak to a human on the phone. Appointments were pretty easy to come by. After booking the appointment, you receive an email with links to videos explaining all the in’s and out’s of eye corrective surgery. You also receive a text reminder the day of your appointment.

The consultation itself was approximately two (2) hours in length. Why so long, you ask? There were probably around 5–6 eye exams that I had to complete. I am, by any means, not complaining: I absolutely loved the attention to detail, and it made me feel secure in my decision. To summarize, the appointment went as follows:

• I was paired with a technician who completed all the eye exams (they have a LOT of techs stationed in the practice, by the way).
• I was then paired with a doctor (I think it was Dr. Keshav?) who then determined if I was well-suited for the LASIK procedure.
• I then had met Dr. Brenner for a couple minutes who checked my eyes, yet again, and answered any questions I had
• The appointment ended with a meeting with someone from Billing/Finance, who explained scheduling, costs, and insurance. I ended up chatting with her, for what seemed like, forever, because I went on a long rant about how nervous I was.

Can I just say: everyone at Boston Vision was so nice. Seriously: soooooo nice. The only thing I noticed was that all the actual medical doctors, inlcuding Dr. Brenner, had a very “suit-and-tie” demeanor to them (if that makes sense?); they were not rude or dismissive or anything, they were just all very straight-faced, very serious. I did not expect any of the doctors to walk up to me like sunshine and rainbows, but I wished they pulled down their masks to crack a smile or something. Given my background, I am use to the overall bedside manner of physicians, so I am not taking it personally. It is what it is.

The Surgery

CHILE, I WAS A NERVOUS WRECK.

I had my eyes dilated a week prior to the big day. I had mentally prepared myself for this, but courage took a day off and left me hanging as the time grew nearer. My brother took me to my procedure; Boston Vision has a small corner in the waiting area where attendees can sit and get work done, if they choose. They called me in to prepare my eyes prior to entering the operatory: a technician did a couple final exams, and numbing drops were used on both eyes. Lastly, I was given 5mg of Xanax and seated in a different waiting area (this waiting area is specifically for patients who are about to undergo surgery).

Approved by the FDA in 1981, Xanax (also known as Alprazolam) is from the class of Benzodiazepines, and is orally administered (via a prescription or with medical oversight) to treat general anxiety. It is given in a healthcare setting as a mild form of sedation before routine surgical procedures. In short, this positive allosteric modulator has a depressant effect when bound to the GABA-A receptor.

A general explanation of the pathophysiology of benzodiazepines (Source: Youtube.com)

The Xanax was not working like I needed it to, because when the countdown started and I was told I was having surgery in ten (10) minutes, I panicked. I started texting people asking them for prayers.

I needed council.

I needed a hug.

I needed to get out of there.

From what I can recall, two (2) techs (or maybe they were optometrists, my memory is getting foggy) came to check in on me, and I started to break down. I told them that I was nervous, and the drugs that were suppose to aid my anxiety were not working as they should. They empathized almost immediately, and I am assuming the doctor himself heard my cry from down the hall, because he scurried to check in on my well being. He asked me if I was given anything, and instructed someone to grab another 5mg of Xanax.

After I was given a couple cups of water, and the second 5mg dose of Xanax, I did notice that my anxiety calmed a bit. I was guided into the room, laid face up on the chair, given a stuffed animal to squeeze (upon request), and the rest was history.

The procedure itself was no more than 5 minutes in total.

For each eye, I felt my eye being clamped open, then the procedure came in two (2) parts. From my personal experience, this is what happened:

Part 1: there was some sort of suction that lasted for exactly ten (10) seconds. I was “blind” for that timeline (the eye that was receiving the suction turned completely black)

Part 2: I felt some sort of metal instrument gliding along my eyeball, then I was instructed to stare at a green light; this, I am guessing, was the laser doing its dirty work. Lastly, I felt a paintbrush gliding along my eyeball.

Once over, and I was helped up, I could see, but my vision was extremely blurry. I was instructed to keep my eyes closed for four (4) hours, and once home, try my best to fall asleep.

The Aftermath

Lord, thirty (30) minutes after I got in the car, the local anesthesia on my eyes worn off, and my eyes were BURNING. I knew to expect this, so I was not shaken in the least, but boy, was I in pain. I have built a high pain tolerance these past couple of years, but this pain was so unbearable that I started shaking in the passenger car seat. My eyes were watering uncontrollably at the same time: it was a weird combination of torture. As soon as my brother parked the car, I screamed for some acetaminophen. He led me to the front door, up the steps, and to my bedroom. I remember being so hungry, but the pain overshadowed my desire for a meal. Once the medication kicked in, I fell asleep almost immediately, but I woke up periodically because the burning sensation lingered throughout the evening. I immediately regretted my decision. The first twelve (12) hours post-surgery were surely the worse.

The next day, I had experienced the following:

• “sand-in-the-eye” (this is a common symptom among LASIK patients); it feels like there are little pebbles moving around
• photosensitivity: I had to wear sunglasses everywhere, even in the shower, because I could not bear the light (I never owned sunglasses before, so I bought my first pair at Nordstrom Rack the following day)
• red scarring on my pupils
• mild burning sensations
• blurred vision

I actually was cleared to drive the morning after my surgery. Although blurred, my vision was fine enough to go about light, day-to-day activities. The symptoms listed above lasted for about five (5) days post-op. I was so worried that these symptoms would last, but I am now seven (7) days post-op, and my symptoms are very minimal: every day is an improvement from the previous day.

The Verdict

At first, I experienced regret in my decision, because I felt that I looked just so different when I took a look in the mirror (your eyes are severely bruised after the procedure, so it reflects on your overall physical image), but now, I think it was one of the best investments I have made in myself. I am so happy that I am finally doing things for me.

Update: I actually am finishing this blog post coming back from my 1-week check-in, and I officially have 20/20 vision (cue the drums of Jericho!)

Contrary to popular belief, 20/20 vision is actual “average” on the scale of visual acuity: an individual can actually have better than 20/20 vision.

I have fell in love with Dr. Allen’s Youtube videos, so I am slapping one below where he thoroughly explains what 20/20 vision really means:

and now, what you are probably wondering:

The Cost

First off, I am very fortunate that my eye insurance covered a nice portion of the procedure (~25%, to be exact). I am also working with my medical insurance to double-up on reimbursement (yes, many medical insurances have vision coverage; knowledge is power).

Next, I am blessed (emphasis on the blessed) to be a position where I can financially afford something as expensive as LASIK. LASIK costs differ greatly based on the following factors:

• Location (to reiterate, I had my LASIK done in Brookline, MA, a boojey, suburban city that, with an average household income of over $96,000, was voted one of the most richest and affluent communities in all of Massachusetts; I’m SURE that LASIK is a little less in other cities, y’all.)
• Academic expertise and experience of the medical doctor(s): a doctor with 20+ years experience is going to cost more than someone with 2 years under their belt
• Quality of the equipment used
• Severity of the procedure: other eye corrective surgeries, such as PRK, may cost more.
• Pre-existing medical (eye) conditions (I had astigmatism)

and more.

Keep in mind that Massachusetts in itself is a pretty expensive place to live in, so the prices of things here are already pretty hefty.

To leave you with a ballpark number, the average cost of LASIK in 2021 was found to be $2,246/eye. I personally paid more than the average.

If you would like to know how much I was quoted from Boston Vision in total, you can find the link to my Facebook account on the main page of this blog page; please feel free to contact me.

Final Thoughts/Advice

I am still recovering (it has only been a couple hours shy of seven [7] days), so please pray for me, keep me in your thoughts, and wish me well; I would really appreciate it! If you are considering LASIK or any kind of eye-corrective surgery, here is what I would advise:

• DO. YOUR. RESEARCH. — Find a physician that has done the procedure so many times that he/she/they can do it with their hands tied behind their back. Seriously.
• Dont cheap out on the surgery — if a site is offering LASIK for $1,000, run. Quickly. Like Usain Bolt.
• Schedule your surgery on a FRIDAY AFTERNOON, if possible — I cannot say this enough. Your only objective after your surgery is to sleep; it’ll be hard to sleep if your procedure is at a time when the rooster crows.
• Have a sick day ready to be used — If you are someone who is working on-site, I would personally advise you to take a day or two off from work; you need time to recover. It is said that you can go to work the following day, but I would NOT do that. At all.
• Have a pair of FASHIONABLE sunglasses on deck — I literally could not function without them (your site should give you genetic sunglasses, but they are not the cutest).
• Buy perservative-free artificial tears BEFORE your surgery — it is important to keep your eyes lubricated for a few months after your procedure.
• Be prepared for the worse — as stated before, the first 12-hours post-op was pure torture. Have medication in the car ready-to-go after your procedure

and lastly,

• TAKE THE XANAX, Y’ALL.