I believe I have received the best Christmas gift anyone could get - the gift of unassisted sight. I can see almost perfectly without glasses or contacts. Yes, I have 20/20 sight in both eyes, though the left eye (which was the weaker one) is a tad nearsighted and has slight astigmatism as well. This may still be temporary. The second eye operation went even better than the first, and I can see through my right eye perfectly. I had no downtime at all with it, really, though everything was orange-colored for the first day (perhaps due to the sun-bright light that they shone into my dilated eye while the operation was going on).
It's a miracle to open my eyes in the morning and see everything around me as if I'd slept in my contacts. I can get up and take the dogs straight outside without bleary-eyed groping for glasses or stumbling over camoflauged gray blobs of dog toys and shoes. It's glorious to stay up late at night, laying on my side with my face pressed deeply into my pillows, watching television or reading - something I could never do when wearing glasses. For the first time, I want to go to the DMV, aching to wipe away the restriction on my license ("With corrective lenses") that no longer applies.
I thought I would sit and have a good cry about this newfound freedom after I received it - I certainly cried with joy and hope at the very notion of such freedom, many months ago - but it wasn't like that in the end. It is wonderful, but it's not a sudden and miraculous change of the sort that invokes tears of elation. It's slow and time-consuming, and I find myself asking, "Should I cry about it now? Is it over and done?" And I reply, "No, no, I'm still putting drops in my eye. My left eye is still improving. I need to go to the DMV. The miracle isn't over yet."
Edit 11/27/09: I've posted a three-year update about the ICL here: ICL Surgery Update: I have glasses
7 comments:
Congrats on your ICL surgery. I had both eyes done a little over 5 months ago. The day after the procedure, I tested 20/15 in both eyes. I still have slight astigmatism in one eye which we'll probably correct with lasik if I choose in the next couple of months. I would do this again in a heartbeat! It's the very best thing I've ever done for myself.
20/15 is fantastic! It appears that my eyes have settled at 20/20, with a tiny bit of nearsightedness (not enough to measure) in the left eye. It's a bit of an adjustment for me, because with my contacts I could see 20/15, but I just tell myself "Now you're seeing what normal people see."
We have also discovered that the YAG iridotomy in my left eye left a hole that was a bit too large and not under the eyelid, so it lets in too much extra light as if I have a tiny second iris. So under certain lighting conditions, I get pronounced "halos" around light sources. It hasn't really interfered much with my vision, though. The halos caused by my contacts were just as bad - and in both eyes at that!
I also agree that I would do it again in a heartbeat. This was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I finally feel free to live my life without all the worries that came with glasses and contacts. I can't wait until summer! At long last, I can go swimming without any hassle.
Last week I got my new driver's license with the "vision correction" restriction removed. Woo!!
Lol, thanks for composing this article. I myself am about to embark on this wonderful (at least I hope) procedure in a week-and-a-half. Reading your article really gave me a glimpse in what I may expect before and during the ILC correction.
I too look forward to the summer in which I will be able to live without any major restrictions. I look forward to swimming and hiking and not having to worry about the "do I have enough contact fluid?" or "are my contacts going to bother me if I go camping?"
Anyway, I hope all is good two years later. God bless.
Are you still loving this two years later? I hope so! I am scheduled to have ICL surgery in January 2009, and cannot wait. I have worn glasses or contacts for over 40 years.
Thanks you for posting your experience with this surgery. I am considering doing this and am glad to hear of a happy customer.
Your article is the best source for actual experience with this procedure. I had my surgery this morning (on both eyes at once) and I can already see so much better! I too have the halos and I'm hoping they go away but even if they don't I am still so pleased with my new eye sight. Thank you very much for all of the info!!
Congrats.. would be interested in knowing how you are finding it now, nearly 2 years later..
I am presently thinking about going for ICL and your blog definitely did give me the much required courage! thanks for that..
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