Toronto Uncovered

Today brings with it a whole new line of sight – one that doesn’t require glasses, contacts or any other type of vision correction accessories. Thursday afternoon, I bit the bullet and had my eyes lasered (insert Austin Powers voice here) at Bochner Eye Institute. My vision wasn’t that bad, a weak prescription by some standards:  -1 and -1.25, but that didn’t change the fact that I had to begin and end every day by putting in and taking out my contacts, or that if I wanted to go for a swim I either had to go half blind or tight eyed. Needless to say, for someone as active as I am, this routine got tired fast.

I went in for my consult at the beginning of August and had financed and scheduled the procedure by the following week. At Bochner, every person who undergoes the surgery pays the same price: $2700.00 per eye. This includes all of your pre and post care as well as the surgery itself. It also includes a promise of perfect eyesight for life – even if my eyes start to slip again in 20 or 30 years, I can go back and have the surgery done again…. for free!  For me, a lifetime warranty for perfect eyesight is definitely worth $5400.00.

The procedure itself was pretty quick and somewhat painless. I’ll describe it to you now – for anyone who is squeamish, consider yourself warned.

I arrived one hour before my surgery  for some last minute tests and the final diagnosis of my vision. About 20 minutes before I went in, I was given a sweet sweet Valium to calm my nerves and keep them in check throughout the procedure. Then it was show time. I was guided into the first room where the nurse administered freezing drops to my eyes before inserting  what seemed like a round pressure-inducing clamp around my first eye.”16 to 17 seconds per eye,” she told me after I asked how long the surgery would last. 16 – 17 seconds for the laser to cut around each pupil. This was phase 1 of the procedure. It felt weird: slight pressure on the eye and lots of flashing lights, which I was told to keep watching. It didn’t hurt, but it won’t exactly make it into my top ten list of good times. I held perfectly still and it was over pretty quickly.

Phase 2 came about 15 minutes after phase 1, in a completely different room, where the doctor reshaped my corneas to refract light at the right angles and provide clear vision. This phase was shorter than the first, but more of a mind- fuck. The laser part only took 3 seconds for one eye and 6 for the other, but you felt and saw the doctor lift the corneal flap they had created in phase 1 and put it back in place, smoothing it over the round surface of your eye. Again there were lots of flashing lights and blurry moments. Thank god for Valium.

Half an hour later I was checked out by the doctor, who had to further smooth my corneal flap over my eye, and sent home with some more relaxing drugs, dark glasses and a plethora of different eye drops (antibiotics, steroids, lubricants, etc.). I got into a cab, still pretty dazed and proclaimed “I can see!” I spent most of that night sleeping off the stress and drugs but was awake for about 45 minutes, during which I recited every label on top of my washing machine to my mom over the phone. I could read them!

And now, 4 days later, I sit (with my dark protective glasses still in tow) watching a movie and seeing it with crystal clarity!

For anyone considering this surgery I have 3 words for you: GO FOR IT! Truly amazing!

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