Over a week ago, Jayson and I got Lasek Eye Surgery. This is something we always wanted to do. Especially on the days when our contacts didn't go in right, or my hairstyle didn't fit my glasses, or having to take out contacts before swimming or sleeping. These were our main reasons for choosing the surgery. Jayson had worn glasses since he was 2 years old, although there were some cute pictures of him as a kid, he is ready to throw the 25 year old eye style in the trash. I have only worn glasses since high school, but my eyesight got worse over time. So, the decision was easy.
We heard our friends talk about Lasek eye surgery in Korea and at first thought it was crazy, but we quickly proved ourselves wrong when we looked into it. Every friend we talked to went to the same doctor, Dr. Yun. Dr. Yun (at I Yun Eye Hospital) is a reputable surgeon who has performed more than 40,000 surgeries. He’s had 11 years of experience and graduated from the top university in Korea, Seoul University for his doctorate. So, we decided to go check this guy out.
OK, the truth is I was scared out of my wits to get the surgery done. Just going to the hospital to get some information had my stomach in knots. All I could think about was laying there and watching them operate on my eyes. Was I able to do that? Well, I was and I did. So, yay for me. haha. Ok, what helped the most was the hospital. They made us feel so comfortable and with the amount of pretests they did on our eyes, I knew they were going to be very thorough. So, on Aug 14th we had our first appointment and scheduled our surgery for the next week Aug. 21st.
Surgery day I was freaking out. Our appointment was at 2pm, which left me with the whole day to worry. Well, I got the apartment all clean and I cooked about 3 meals to last us for a week. Once we arrived to the hospital, I had to focus on my breathing. They did a few more tests to make sure they were going to correct our eyes correctly. Good idea. Then we had to wait. Once I put my head between my legs, was when the nurse came with my happy pill. Oh, that was the magic pill I was waiting for all day. I demanded that I was first, so I wouldn't chicken out.
So, I was first..... I was in la la land now and just going through the motions. They didn't speak very much English so I just followed their hands. Set your purse here, put on this robe, put on this hair net, and now follow me into the operating room. Now, lie down on this table and hold this pink, stuffed hippo (right like that was gonna calm me down). Finally, the doctor came in and spoke English to me. He talked me though the whole process. He put anesthesia drops in my eye, picked at my eye for a few minutes and the then I stared at the laser for 9 seconds. They did one eye at a time. My hands were gripping that hippo and my feet were going crazy. But, they said the most important thing to remember was look at the red light. And I did. I'm pretty sure they all thought I was crazy for freaking out so much. I could hear them say something in Korean and then they all laughed. This happened several times during the procedure. But, looking back I would have laughed at me too because there was nothing to worry about. There was no pain.....until after.
Jayson and I had Lasek not Lasik. Our eyes had hyperopia, so we needed the Lasek procedure. With Lasek, the procedure is painless, but the recovery is longer and more painful. We knew that, they warned us. Oh man, was that first day and night a nightmare. Jayson and I both couldn't open our eyes, nor did we want to talk or eat. This is where the idea of us both getting the surgery done at the same time seemed like a bad idea. Oh well, you live and you learn. During day 2 I could open my eyes a little. Jayson's laser was 27 seconds (triple mine) so he had more recovery then me. It took about 5 days to go outside with sunglasses on comfortably. Now, I can see pretty well. It will take a few weeks for our eyes to reach 100% of their potential. The doctor is very good with us. We have frequent appointments, which makes feel really comfortable.
So, after all the worrying and the pain, I would do this again in a heartbeat. So, anybody considering it should do it if they have the money. We saved $3000 each doing it in Korea. I think this experience has made me stronger :) haha we'll see
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