I just returned from my three-month post-op follow-up after having SBK laser eye surgery on December 16th. I’m doing the follow-ups with a local optometrist, because I didn’t want to drive in the winter to the clinic in another town where the surgery was performed.
My dryness issues have improved a lot since the one-month point. I began experimenting with eye drops rather than just sticking with those recommended to me, and what I’ve discovered is that I need drops with either mineral oil or castor oil in them. Those work the best for me.
I also dug out an old humidifier and put it in my office. I run it when I’m working in here. This is especially important if you live in a dry area, and we had a very dry winter. If I had it to do over again, I would not recommend having laser eye surgery in the middle of December if you live in a dry climate. However, I had no way of knowing how dry December and January would be. The typical March weather we’re having now, I’d have the laser surgery in a minute.
If you’ve been following my posts, it’s obvious I haven’t been happy with my distance vision (I had mono vision, and the left eye, my reading eye, is a marvel). At the three-month point, I have 20/30 vision. I was told at the one month point that I would probably need glasses for driving long distances at night. “Forget long distances,” I told the optometrist today. “I don’t feel safe driving to the corner store at night.”
I haven’t tried a lot of night driving since having the surgery, because one episode of twilight driving freaked me out. But last week I had to go sit with a relative for a few hours, and the only way to get there was to drive. I realized I need glasses to drive short distances at night. At night, I should always wear driving glasses.
That would be okay, but I feel the need for glasses even driving during the day. Road signs swoop down on me, and that’s not good when you’re looking for directions. Around my own town, if I’m just doing the grocery shopping, etc., then it’s okay. But toss in some rain or anything other than bright sun, and I’m nervous.
Then, several days ago, I went to the mall. And realized I needed glasses in the freaking mall. Either that or squint so I could see the stores coming up. And I already have “natural” squint lines (ie. from age). I don’t need them getting any deeper!
The most aggravating part, though, is feeling the need for glasses when I’m walking the dog. Again, this comes down to an acuity issue. I can see landscape, but letters on roadsigns are where I have an issue, depending on their size.
Thankfully, my local optometrist agreed with me and has asked the laser eye clinic to give me a call. We’ll discuss my options. I’m hoping for a “touch-up,” but you have to wait at least six months, to give your eyes enough time to properly heal.
So while my optometrist was thinking (at the one month point) that he would give me a prescription for “occasional” night time driving glasses, he now understands why I’m not happy with my distance vision. Hey, SBK is expensive. If the clinic can help me achieve better results with a touch-up, I’m all over that action. And this time I’ll know what to expect in terms of pain as your eyes thaw and in terms of dryness. I know which products work for me and which are better left to someone else’s eyes.
So…I’m happy. I mean, in a perfect world, I would not WANT a repeat of laser eye surgery. That wasn’t my goal going in. My goal was to be clapping and jumping up and down because I was so pleased with my vision.
That’s still my goal. I just haven’t met it…yet.
