Eye surgery

[Penni60 45]

Let me give some background first. I was about 12 when I first noticed I wasn't doing well in school. My mother and I didn't understand why cause I did really well in some classes and not too well in others. (Because I sat in the back in some classes and in the front in others. DUH!! LOL!!) We talked to my teachers and none could shed any light. This went on for another year till I was 13 and started "aunt flo". SORRY guys! Just bear with me. Lots of headaches, cramping, etc just normal things that are associated with it. RIGHT? Well the headaches lingered longer that the um,...er,... "aunt flo". LOL!!! So I went to see our family doctor. He suggested we get my eyes tested.

Lo and behold I needed glasses. GO figure!! LOL!! So that the age of 13 I started wearing glasses. Anyone remember when they didn't have the light weight plastic lenses and we had to get the heavy glass lenses. Well I needed the heavy lenses. UGH!! And it took two weeks to get your glasses not the nifty swifty one hour like at Lenscrafters.

Fast forward to Sept 2003. I hear about this really cool Lasik surgery. I go in for an extensive 2 hour eye exam to see if I am a candidate. I AM!!!! HOORAY!!!! My sweetie pays the $4500 fee. OUCH!!! I just love that man. He also paid for my LapBand as well. DOUBLE LOVE HIM!!!!!

October 2003 I have Lasik surgery and can see 20/20 immediately after surgery. I cry and wail and gnash teeth,... oh wait no gnashing of teeth but I do cry and wail. I am thrilled with the results.

I notice about 8 months after surgery a deterioration in my vision. The distance is not a crisp as it was right after surgery. I schedule an appt to get my eyes tested again. They say my eyes are still adjusting. I wait four months till my yearly checkup. NOTHING changes. I schedule another appt. They tell me that I still have what is considered 20/20 vision. I ask about will it get worse or better or what. They said if it wasn't better in a couple of months to come back.

I just got home from the eye doctor TODAY. I have a second LASIK surgery scheduled on March 22nd. I am having monovision with custom vue to make the vision better in the weaker eye. If they try to correct both eyes I will lose all close up vision in both eyes. This way I can still have close up vision and my distance will be much clearer and still not have to wear glasses. HOORAY!!!!

I am just not looking forward to another surgery right now. I will be in and out in under 15 min or less actually. It takes longer to set up for the operation than the operation itself. LOL!!

My doctor is Charles Manger, III and his clinic is Saddleback Eye Center. It is located in Laguna Hills which is in the Irvine area. So on Tuesday the 22nd, I go to the clinic for the surgery and stay overnight at an area hotel. Then the next morning go back to the clinic via their shuttle for a checkup then I will take a taxi to the train station and come home. My sweetie is driving me down and staying with me and then taking me to the hotel afterward, but he has to get home that night so he can take my 17 yr old son to his driving school classes the next morning. UGH!!

I am not at all anxious about it, I just didn't wanna have to do this right now. But if I don't do it now I would have to wait till May. I will be out of town for the month of April. OH well it is what it is.

[vinesqueen 2]

good luck Penni!

Oh yes, I remember those 2 pound glasses well! I'm so happy you are a candidate for this!

[dylansmom 27]

Good luck Penni! I sure hope that everything turns out really well for you!

[Iluvharleys 15]

Good Luck Penni - I have the monovision and I love it!

[Penni60 45]

Betty: Did it take you long to adjust to the monovision? That is my only concern right now. I don't wanna be walking lopsided. LOL!!!

Good Luck Penni - I have the monovision and I love it!

[I'llsucceed 1]

I had lasik also Penni- wore "coke bottle glasses" as a kid from 3th grade on. Several of my friends have had the surgery as well- only one did the monovision & she adjusted quite well after about 1 month. I pray all goes well & that it works out perfectly - sounds like you have a great doctor!

[Jammin & Losin 1]

Penni~ I'm sure you will do fine. Let us know how you are.

[Iluvharleys 15]

No Penni actually I could see good from the start with no troubles. My Dh was the one worried, she said you won't be able to adjust just wait and see. But, I really did adjust fast.

[New Hope 37]

Good luck, Penni. I had the monovision done right before Christmas. It does take some getting used to. My reading vision was great right off the bat. My distance vision is still adjusting and I'll probably need an adjustment done on it.

[leatha_g 4]

I have monovision and had to have my distance eye done twice. I also still wear my glasses. I am definitely NOT satisfied with the damage I've done to two perfectly healthy eyes.

[HarleyNana 10]

Please explain the monovision. I can see a fly on a billboard across the highway, but I can't read the newspaper or the phonebook, would I be a candidate for that? I had both of my sons fixed by Lasik, they're sooo thrilled with theirs. My youngest even called the doctor at home and told him how happy he was.

[New Hope 37]

Monovision is actually 2 different correction surgeries. A correction on one eye for nearsightedness....(being unable to see things faraway). This is what you get when you're young. And a correction for the other eye for farsightedness (being unable to see things up close.. (like reading). This is what your eyes do as they age.

With the monovision correction, you have to learn to use one eye for distance, the other for close ups. It takes getting used to.

Younger people usually just have correction done for nearsightedness.

Of course the ideal thing is to have perfect vision and no correction is needed!!

[Penni60 45]

Of course the ideal thing is to have perfect vision and no correction is needed!!

Yeah I want that. To be young again. Fix that for me Marie. PUHLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh!! Now I am not so sure I should have the surgery. I am so afraid that I will make my eyesight worse. Right now I see fine up close and far with my left eye. My right eye is the one that has problems with distance. They are correcting that part of my vision. SIGH!! Oh well I can always cancel the surgery.

[New Hope 37]

So they are just correcting the right eye, correct?

[Penni60 45]

That is correct. So only a patch over the one eye. LOL!!! Hey, I will be like a pirate then. Ahoy matie!! All I need is a parrot then. LOL!!

So they are just correcting the right eye, correct?