I just had LASIK yesterday afternoon, so my vision is still a bit cloudy at closer distances, but is nicely clear at range, already. Expect a drop in posts for the week, unless the vision clears dramatically today.

The procedure was quite and straightforward. I took the offered valium (a good idea, as it turned out, as the eye anesthetic worked like every other kind for me: hits quick, leaves just as fast. It wore off about halfway through the work on the left eye. They lie you down, position the laser, then cover the eye not being worked on. They clap the eyelids open, like Alex in A Clorkwork Orange. They then have you stare at the red targeting laser, then place the automated knife on the eye. It’s a bit disconcerting: it feels very heavy (but isn’t), and your visn goes out on the eye for a second, then is blurry when they lift the corneal flap. The laser pulses for a few seconds and you can smell the tissue burning off. The doctor then smooths the cornea, and it’s a strange, underwater kind of quality to the vision.

They swapped eyes for me, started again, but I noticed the positioning of the knife felt more heavy and uncomfortable. I hadn’t realized yet the drugs were wearing off. The cut was fine; I couldn’t quite feel it, but I could the last few laser pulses. Not painfully, but uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing. Just as fast, it’s over.

Already, my distance vision was improving, but it’s very cloudy — like looking through water — and I’m light sensitive. Blinking a lot helps. Suggestion: don’t keep your eyes closed, but blink as much as you can. I think it cleans the crap out, because you tear. I kept my eyes closed and it got painful while I was trying to sleep. I sat, blinked a lot and kept the eyes open to tear and it went away.

This morning, I woke with some slight haze — to be expected, I was told — and found myself able to read a poster across the room. Close distances, like typing on the iPad, right now, it a bit hazy and slightly out of focus, but not bad. I can’t read small type on the medicine bottles given me by the eye doctor, save the brand name. Over the course of writing this, my vision has improved.

UPDATE: Most of the haziness, which the the eye reacting to the “injury with swelling and fluid, has dissipated by noon. My followup went well and my vision is now 20/15, although I got most of the 20/10 line correct, as well. Near vision was shot all morning, but now I can read text messages on my phone at normal half-arms length and reading the small type on my 13” laptop screen at arms length is also easy. I might actually get away without needed reading glasses for now, although the lowest reading glasses prescription does make small type easier to read.

I took the bike out today, and had no issues with the airflow through the helmet drying out my eyes. There’s no pain, but a slight grittiness feeling in the left one, and I don’t appear to be too light sensitive. The haloing effect I was told to expect while driving was not bad at all — the headlights had a star-pattern to them, but it wasn’t distracting or blinding. Supposedly it goes away after a few months.

Overall, an excellent experience and I can recommend my doctors, ABQ Lasik Specialists, here in Albuquerque.