Living My Life 20/15, a Year After LASIK

Summary

The author reflects on their decision to undergo LASIK surgery a year prior, detailing the reasons for the procedure, the process, and the positive outcomes.

Abstract

The article "Living My Life 20/15, a Year After LASIK" is a personal account of the author's experience with laser eye surgery. The author, who had worn glasses since childhood and later switched to contact lenses, decided to get LASIK due to its cost-effectiveness over a lifetime of vision care expenses, qualification for the surgery based on consistent vision and corneal thickness, and the personal desire to improve their quality of life. Despite the initial discomfort and adjustment period post-surgery, the author expresses satisfaction with the results, considering it a wise investment compared to other expenditures. The narrative emphasizes the importance of undergoing surgery for personal reasons rather than external influences and encourages others to consider LASIK by getting a professional consultation.

Opinions

The author views LASIK as a cost-effective solution compared to the ongoing expenses of glasses and contact lenses.
Wearing glasses was seen as a burden, and contacts, while an improvement, had their own inconveniences.
The decision to undergo LASIK was also motivated by the author's desire for self-improvement and the opportunity to make a positive change in their life.
The author stresses the importance of qualifying for LASIK, which includes having a stable vision prescription and a cornea thick enough for the procedure.
A strong emphasis is placed on the personal nature of the decision to undergo elective surgery; it should be solely for one's own happiness and satisfaction.
The author describes the post-surgery experience as initially uncomfortable but ultimately rewarding, with the discomfort manageable through rest and medication.
The results of LASIK, while not immediate, are described as significantly improving the author's vision and quality of life.
The author recommends LASIK to others, suggesting that a consultation is a valuable first step in exploring the option.

I went under the laser a year ago and this is what I really think about my decision

Since I was the plump young age of eight I have worn prescription glasses. Wearing glasses was part of my identity like my forsaken Justin Bieber bangs and oversized sweaters in middle school. However, my glasses were never a point of insecurity. Rather, I found my spectacles as a burden. From slipping off my face to constantly thinking I lost them, I could not get a break from my mom scolding me saying, “Can you take care of anything?!” When I reached college, I started looking at alternatives to living with glasses. College is that time of reinvention and I knew it was time to retire more than just swoop bangs. With a little help from my dad, my mom agreed to let me get contacts. And I felt like I leveled up! Contacts proved better than constantly worrying about glasses. However, being the irresponsible millennial I am I faced my own issues with contacts.

Life with contacts gave me 20/20 vision but with its own limits. Cleaning contacts after every single use proved tedious. Worrying whether my tiny lenses would fall out as my friends and I belted, “Sweet Caroline” on fraternity tables was more than annoying. These are all griefs that added up over the years. My dad had undergone LASIK in the early 2000s and he offered me the procedure as a graduating gift.

When asked why I chose to get LASIK it boils down to 3 things: it was cost-effective, versus constantly buying contacts; I qualified for the surgery; it was my first chance to show myself that I could change my life for the better.

Upon first glance, the sticker price for LASIK may not sound like it was cost-effective, but hear me out. On average, most laser eye surgery range from $2,000 to almost $5,000. I fell into a sweet spot around $3,000. I also think of this procedure as an investment. Of the many expensive investments I’ve done, this is one done right. Whenever I ordered contacts I had the double whammy of getting 6 months worth for like $300 and then having to get an exam every year.

If you do the math it adds up to thousands spent across glasses, lenses, and exams. No doubt, for a lifetime of clear vision I could skip on adding another Gucci belt, or a few accessories, to my collection.

Qualifying for LASIK was the second part of the equation. I am not a professional nor am I well versed in the jargon, but know that you have to qualify for the surgery. Most people get approved if their vision has been consistent for several years. You also need to have a cornea that’s thick enough to be guillotined for the procedure. No amount of looking at your eye in a mirror will tell you if you qualify. You just have to go in and hear out what the doctor has to say.

Before I go into my last point I want to make it clear that even if the first two points click with you, really digest this last one. Getting any type of surgery should be something you do for you and only you. It doesn’t matter how charming the nurses are, or persistent the doctor is, or even how glamorous influencers might make post botched life seem if you don’t feel it in your heart don’t do it. Surgery is like any other service, it’s an industry.

That being said, imagine me climbing off my soapbox. The most important factor in why I got LASIK was that I felt like it would make me happy. I am a year post-surgery and I admit, I am so glad that I got my eyes zapped!

If you know someone who had laser eye or seen the YouTube videos then you might know that this is a super quick surgery. Besides waiting in a chilly operation room for who knows how long, you’re in and out in like 10 minutes. The nurses and doctor will both remind you that you can’t drive home after LASIK. Cheers to my dad who not only hauled us home but stopped to get me Starbucks on the way back. My summer order you may ask? Grande iced blueberry black tea!

Once I got home, I took the doctor’s advice and slept! As long as I could! If you are awake then I promise you you will feel like knives dancing on your eyes. I managed to KO, and for the few moments when I felt a burn I used my drops.

Sleep is your friend for both avoiding the real world and the pain of post-operation. Something worth noting is that the results take time. I remember calling the clinic 3 times in my first month because I thought I was going blind. Turns out all my symptoms from blurred vision to halos were just temporary. Like for real, you will see better, just chill out!

I’m now about one year since my surgery and it truly has been one of the best investments I’ve made. Way smarter than Swarovski coffee mugs, and only comparable to my joy of adding to the Gucci gang. If you are anyone you know is thinking of getting LASIK I’d say try it out!

Go in for a consultation because you won’t know your options unless you take a risk. It was the first step for me in catalyzing my process of being the adult Will that I tried so long to avoid. But now I’m an adult with bills to pay, and luckily a sound financial decision I made.