Let me first say that if you have any medical questions, to just go in for a consultation. It's FREE. The good people at LasikPlus will be more abled and knowledgeable than anything that I can provide. Not to mention that your eyes and my eyes are different, so my experience may be completely different that yours! This blog and video is just a reference, testimonial, and personal recommendation. I am more than happy to answer any questions about MY experience, or elaborate on anything that I went through.
Like most people who responded to my Facebook post, I had been debating LASIK surgery for some time. The thought of getting my eyes sliced open was not appealing, and I mean, this is my VISION we're dealing with here! I always had the concern that something was going to go wrong, and I was going to be blinded or damaged for the rest of my life.
I think we all kind of know the basics of LASIK surgery? That they cut a slit in your eye, open the flap, shine in a laser beam, and close it back up. Excuse me, while I go throw up...
The thought of that, even after I have had it done, makes me cringe. That's a very quick explanation of it, and if you want to read more detailed information, here is a direct link: www.LasikPlus.com/lasik/steps-lasik-treatment. Along with knowing the basics of the LASIK procedure, we may have also heard of some sort of horror story to go along with it-- about someone who had the procedure and, as a result, now have a permanent halo in their line of vision, or are seeing double, or something traumatic. I don't know anyone personally that had that experience, but I did hear that these were possible risks. The operation itself and the associated risks were 2/3 of what prevented me from not getting it done sooner. The final third was that I wanted to save up some money (I'll get into price later on). With that said, those are the three factors that I will be breaking down in this blog. Ready, set, go!
I went in for my consultation on November 23, 2011. The waiting room was packed, but I didn't have to wait too long to get started. Once I met with one of the doctors, we went through a series of tests to determine if I even qualified to received LASIK. Depending on your vision, and the eye itself, it is possible that you will not be a candidate for surgery. The tests were almost like any other eye exam. A couple photos to focus upon, reading the chart, etc. Oh, and no "poof" test, haha (relief)! The main thing that was different is they do have to dilate your eyes, as well as apply numbing drops, as part of the tests to see if you can go through with the surgery. Check out my cartoon eyes:
This doesn't hurt, but it does make you very sensitive to light (obviously with the saucer pupils). But it was nothing that a pair of shades couldn't fix, and it subsided within a couple hours. I was a good candidate to receive LASIK-- I've had the same [awful] prescription for over 5 years (you just need a stable script of one year), and I'm in good health. Depending on how thick your cornea is, you may qualify for PRK (www.LasikPlus.com/lasik/prk-vs-lasik), which means you do not even have to actually receive an incision in your eye. But I personally needed LASIK.
The doctors and staff were super accommodating, and were ready to answer any questions. I really didn't have too many questions, but even so: they provided more than enough information and repeatedly offered a window for me to ask anything I wanted. The entire consultation took about an hour, and afterwards, we set up my surgery date and next-day follow-up appointments. They gave me a folder with a lot of reading material as to what to expect, how to prepare for pre- and post- surgery, and discounts for the medication/drops I would be prescribed.
They called in my prescriptions the day before the surgery. I had four total: one steroid drop, one antibiotic drop, Ambien for sleeping after the surgery, and the optional Valium. You do not need to get the Valium, if you do not want it. But [at this time] Dr. Horn recommends it to relax and relieve any anxiety on the day of the procedure. I went ahead and opted to take it, even though I was not nervous about the procedure, and I have a high tolerance for pain (you will NOT need a high tolerance, as I will explain in a moment). I will admit that I started getting "cold feet" a couple days before my surgery date, but obviously I went though with it.
I went in for LASIK on December 9, 2011. Again, it was pretty crowded. I did everything at the Oak Brook, IL, location, which has both the examination office and the operating room. I forgot which days of the week Dr. Horn is there to perform the surgeries, but basically: everyone makes their appointments within a three-day frame, so that's why there are a lot of people. Also, I went in during a promotional period, so it may not always be so busy, but even so: it wasn't a long wait. Anyway, the staff did a quick eye exam again to make sure I was ready for the surgery, and instilled my numbing drops. I went into a second waiting area, which allows you to see into the OR, if you want to watch. Here is where I took my optional Valium (woo-hoo, party!), and shortly thereafter, met with Dr. Horn to talk about the surgery, answer any last questions, reiterate the post-surgery procedure, and clarify what to expect from both the surgery and following days. And then we headed into the OR.
Oh, and if you're wondering, the Valium is a low dose, so it's not like I was all whacked out and disoriented. Just like a, "Oh, you wanna slice my eye open? Yeah, that's cool with me," feeling. :)
The whole thing took under 15 minutes. I laid down on a typical medical bed, the gave me a Nerf football to hold/squeeze, in case I got nervous or felt uncomfortable, and then put an instrument over my eye socket to prevent me from blinking. This instrument was not painful; it was not even uncomfortable. It was the same amount of pressure as if I were to make a circle with my thumb and index finger and place it over my eye. I don't know if this was due to the numbing drops, or if the instrument nowadays has been formatted to be a bit more efficient when conforming to the eye, but whatever the case: it was NOT intimidating or scary.
Now, when I announced that I was getting LASIK, I also had people who commented/messaged me with their experiences, in addition to those with inquiries. All were positive, especially from those who went to Dr. Horn. The only somewhat negative feedback I received was from a couple people who said that it was slightly uncomfortable during the surgery. One person attributed it to the numbing drops, and another towards the eye-holding instrument. These people that messaged/emailed me with details, had the surgery over a year ago, and did not go to Dr. Horn. Still, I had an expectation that I was going to have discomfort during the surgery. But nope! It was quick, easy, and a breeze. Neither the drops, instruments, or lights bothered me, or affected me negatively. This may be because Dr. Horn/LasikPlus of Oak Brook updates their equipment on an average of every six months. It is the latest and best technology. What applied a year ago, does not apply now. Plus, maybe if they went to Dr. Horn/LasikPlus they wouldn't have had the same experience. :)
Continuing on, the incision itself is not even felt. You know when it happens, because it gets very blurry. But basically, here's the surgery:
You look into a light, it gets blurry as the laser does its job, and then it gets clear (but foggy) again. THAT'S IT.
I think it took about two minutes for each eye? I wish I could provide more details, but I honestly forgot anything else about it. I should have kept a next-day journal, and I do apologize for my lack of information, but that just goes to show how EASY the surgery is: it's forgettable!
Pretty much right after I was finished, I could have gone home. However, I opted to chill in the waiting room for a good 40 minutes. I did this because of an experience my boyfriend had: 4 years ago he had LASIK (at a different business/location that is now closed), and when he left the office, a gust of wind left a ripple/wave in the top layer of his eye. Even with this happening, they were able to smooth it out the next day, and he sees 20/20 without any sort of complication. But still, I didn't want to take any chances, so I decided to relax with my eyes closed before my ride picked me up. The eye heals very quickly, and I figured I could get some Wolverine-type work done if I just sit for a bit. If you don't have the patience to sit still for a half hour or so, you can totally leave when you're done. Just have someone guide you to the car, and try to keep your eyes closed when you're outside!
When I was about 15 minutes from home, I popped the Ambien and napped for a good four hours when I got to my bed. As I mentioned, the eye heals very quickly, and when I woke up, I could see everything. It was fuzzy, of course, but I could definitely see an improvement. I took another Ambien for bedtime, and went in for my follow-up the next morning. I was still fuzzy, but not as fuzzy from my first wakening after the nap. The next day, I drove myself to my follow-up, while wearing the provided sunglasses. I kept those shades on all day. My eyes did not hurt, but I kept them on as a precaution. They also provided a set of goggles, which is to be used for showering and sleeping. The latter because you may unconsciously scratch or rub your eyes as you slumber. I wore them the first night, but they were a pain in the ass, so I nixed them after that.
My surgery was on a Friday, and I was on the computer, in spurts, on Sunday. Still wearing the shades too. Sunday was even more clear than the previous day, but still a little "misty," if that make sense? On Monday, I was just about clear.
In addition to the steroid drops, and the antibiotic drops, you have to constantly re-wet with some moisture drops (they provided "Blink"). I followed the medication as instructed, and was re-wetting my eyes all throughout the day. That was the only really bummer: my eyes were DRY as hell! But if that's the worse to expect in exchange for 20/20 vision, than that is a sacrifice I am more than willing to make.
As far as night vision, I did not start seeing an improvement until about the month mark. Which is exactly what they told me would happen. They said it would take about a month for the halos around lights to subside, and up to three months for totally clear night vision. I was seeing halos and bursts around every headlight and street light (and holiday decorations), and I was getting a little discouraged after a couple weeks, because I started thinking that I was one of the 3% of people who will not get the full success from LASIK. Even with the advanced technology that is provided, there are still risks such as a permanent haze or a thinning cornea. But the risks are not as common as they were years ago; which is the time period that most of these horror stories stem from. But as I said, at about the month mark, the halos and burst are very minimal, and this past Monday (January 23rd), I was driving not long after dusk and everything looked "HD." It was very clear; more crisp than I have ever been able to see with my contacts. So I imagine when I hit that 3-month point, I will be golden.
I had another follow-up a week after my surgery, and everything was healing just fine. When I did my vision test, I was actually more than 20/20 vision: I was 20/15, which is pretty damn cool. One of my buddies had LASIK with Dr. Horn about the same time, and he had the same outcome. Sweet. And I just recently sent in my first payment, which will allow me to segue in the biggest FAQ: "How much?"
So, as of November 23, 2011, the set price is $2099 per eye. YIKES. However, Dr. Horn is always doing promotional periods. I went in during one of these, which was $500 off, if I had the surgery done before the end of 2011. As I mentioned earlier, this may have been why it was crowded. In addition to the $500 off, they also give discounts if you have insurance, if you had a referral, and a few other reasons. I received an additional 5% for being a vision member, so my final price for both eyes was $3,513. Still... YIKES. But! They have a very affordable payment plan option with CareCredit: no interest for 2 years! So, the payments come out to a little under $150 a month. Which is totally do-able. And when I think about how much I spend each year on repeated eye exams, contacts, solution, glasses, etc., $3,500 is a good investment for years and years of perfect vision with a lifetime guarantee. And your price may be even lower than mine-- depending on when you go, and what type of additional discounts you may receive.
All in all with the pricing: you get what you pay for. The best equipment, and probably the best eye surgeon in Chicagoland. Dr. Horn's name came up frequently on my Facebook, with accompanying accolades.
Speaking of, I receive emails with coupons to refer friends, and below is a 10% off coupon! Although I received permission to write a blog/create a video, I do not work for LasikPlus, or was not hired to do any sort of promotion for them. I wrote this in response to my Facebook inquiries and I simply enjoy doing stuff like this. And why not share the coupon because you get something, and I get something? Click on this image to launch the full size in a new window for easy printing. Bring it in when you set up your FREE consultation/eye exam!
EDIT: I used to embed a coupon here, but instead of updating my blog each time an old coupon expired, it is much more convenient if you just send me an email if/when you need the coupon. So, don't be shy, no long message needed, just put "send lasik coupon" in the subject or something like that.
Overall, if you've considered getting LASIK, but the fear of the procedure or risks has been the main thing(s) holding you back, then it's time to go in. That is what prevented me from not doing it sooner, and I actually feel dumb for it because it was such a piece of cake. If you have any more questions about my experience, feel free to comment on this blog, hit me up on my Facebook, or send me an email. If you have any questions about LASIK itself or about your eyeballs, then go into a consultation.
I personally recommend LASIK, and I strongly recommend Dr. Horn/LasikPlus because my experience was smooth and successful. And many others will say the same. This guy is very cool and knows his shit. Even if my blog didn't give you any sort of confidence, you will feel fine after meeting with him.
Hope my blog gives you a good perspective about what to expect, and if I left anything out, I will surely edit this blog to include it!
Cheers,
Lauren
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