My experience with LASIK eye surgery at the TLC Eye Center
I got LASIK eye surgery about two years ago and it has changed my life.
I’ve adopted a cross-fit/vegan like mentality around the surgery because I will tell anyone who comes close to me about how LASIK changed my life and how they should definitely get it and even if your eyesight is 20/20 you should consider it anyway because it’s that good.
I have always had poor vision, and like any kid who grows up wearing glasses (bonus points if you also had braces and frizzy hair, like me) I have dreamt for a world where I don’t need them. Contacts were a great solution - and with dailies they improved even more - but there’s something about contacts that are still a hassle, irritate your eyes, and make them so dry.
Also - it might just be me, but I always have fears that my plane will crash onto an island (a la LOST) and my contacts will run out, and I’ll be blind and defenseless in the jungle. So that was another reason why I wanted LASIK.
That being said, I’m a very anxious person and the idea of my eyeball being operated on was terrifying. I also think too that we develop more fears as we get older (did anyone else used to be fine with the dentist and now has anxiety going?) so that was the cherry on top.
So the first thing I recommend for LASIK is to talk to someone who has had it done.
This really helped me in feeling solid about my decision because truly every person I’ve spoken to who has had LASIK eye surgery raved about it (remember my intro?) and it made me feel much better.
The second thing I recommend is going to a place to get it done that has the most reviews, the best reputation, just all of that. Do not. Get your LASIK. With a Groupon. I shouldn’t even have to say that - but I will just in case!
So let me break down the pricing of LASIK and how it went for me to get the surgery.
I went to the TLC Eye Center here in NYC for it and had a great experience (some parts of it weren’t that great, but I’ll get into it later) and my cost for the surgery was $5,290. Yes, very expensive. But to me - the cost for perfect vision is truly priceless and just once again, so worth it.
The first step you’ll probably go through is an appointment at the clinic you choose. They do all the eye tests, get your vision, measure certain things about your eyeballs, and then suggest which LASIK procedure is best for you (I believe there are 2 main types of procedures, I’m not a doctor and I got this done years ago but 1 procedure is the main one that like 80% of people get)
Then, you schedule your appointment. It’s important to note that a week before your appointment, you can’t wear contacts. So you have to dust off those glasses and wear them for a week which I hated, but once again - perfect eyeballs.
Before you know it, it’s the morning of your surgery. You go in, take a valium or some pill that they give you, and get ready for the surgery. Now, this is where I was a little less-than-thrilled with the TLC Eye Center. They’re great because all they do, all day long, is LASIK surgeries. So it makes for the perfect surgery, but there was not a lot of comfort or care - especially for someone who is about to have their eyeballs operated on. I was put in a room and told to wait - with my hair in a net, and nervous and there was no 1-pager for me to read or someone to walk me through what was happening. So like a baby I started crying, which delayed my operation (can’t operate on eyes that are crying) and I needed to be given 2 more pills before surgery and all I really wanted was just a human nurse to please spend more than like 30 seconds in the room with me and walk me through what was going to happen! Like, I get that they are very used to the procedure because they do 100 in a week, but it is my first time here and I don’t know what’s happening so please, at least do me the favor of giving me a 5 minute speech about what will happen. As I sit here, terrified I could go blind.
Me, crying like a baby, before I took 2x the anxiety meds
The surgery itself was a breeze (and the surgeon was like, 10x nicer than anyone else in the office haha). Your eyeballs are totally numb, you just look at some bright lights that look like little lasers, and they zap away and do whatever they do. I was fully xanned out at this point, and giggling looking at the lights and having a grand old time.
After the surgery, for I believe 48 hours you want to have your eyes closed as much as possible, you’re a regimen of putting healing drops into your eyes, and you just chill and try to avoid looking at screens.
My friend picked me up from the surgery (you need this, or you can call an Uber, but you’re not allowed to drive home or take public transit)
Still xanned out, best car ride of my life
What I did was listen to podcasts (you already know, but I would suggest my podcast!) and listen to TV. It’s best to truly try as hard as you can to not look at screens - so I would just listen to reruns of shows I had already seen. Also, while on drugs, I did spend a lot of time with my eyes closed talking to my Alexa. She tells jokes, she tells you the weather, we really bonded!
I would also 100% recommend keeping a paper list of what time you’re putting your eye drops in. It’s a bit annoying because they aren’t the same schedule - one is like every 2 hours and the other is every 3 hours, but you’re bored as shit at home so it gives you something to do!
It’s zero pain - seriously.
Then you have a few days after where there’s usually a red spot on one or both of your eyes, but it goes away soon and I swear to god, using your new bionic 100% functional eyes is so fun to do after the surgery. I couldn’t stop looking at things.
You look a little like a Bond villain but it goes away quickly
Boom - then you’re done!
Now, here are some amazing benefits from LASIK that I didn’t realize would happen
I was really suffering from dry eye before LASIK, and having not worn contacts in so long, I can honestly say that I haven’t worried or thought about dry eyes in years. My eyes do hurt if I stare at screens for too long, but I think that’s normal for everyone.
Okay - also, my mornings got more productive. This could be personal for just me, but before LASIK I would wake up in the mornings, with dry eyes, and need like an hour for my eyes to get moist before putting contacts in. So I would wear glasses for an hour (which I hated) or just be blurry, and it stopped me from being really productive, or going for a run first thing in the morning. Waking up with perfect vision made my mornings a lot more efficient, which was a great side effect I didn’t even know would happen.
So! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions, or are considering LASIK, or anything! I know everyone’s experience is different - but mine was great and I can’t recommend LASIK enough!
Until the next one,
S