One Woman's Journey Through Laser Eye Surgery

Getting laser eye surgery is a life changing experience, but it can sometimes seem a scary one too. At Eyesite, we understand that people often have fears or questions about laser eye surgery, so we asked one of our customers, Charlie, to document her journey through to getting laser eye surgery. This is her story...

I am sat on the train on the way to London for my laser eye operation at Advanced Vision Care. Yesterday, as I was packing, I was so excited about how light my bag was with no contact lenses paraphernalia in it and the fact I could fully pack without having to add glasses, a case and a contact lenses box. As I sit, I have a few butterflies in my tummy as I get closer to London. But my brain is calming itself by going through the procedure and the statistics; reminding me that it has an extremely high success rate and I have complete confidence in the team around me and Mr Pillai. I can't wait to think that by this time this evening I will be able to see things in front of me without my glasses on!I wouldn't say I like wearing glasses as I would never choose to wear them. I am not one of those people that wears glasses as a fashion accessory because I don't feel as confident in them. I would always choose my contact lenses over glasses.So far in life I have managed with glasses and contact lenses but mainly because I have to. I have been very short-sighted from a young age so never had much choice in the matter. Being short-sighted has never stopped me from doing anything but it is very inconvenient. Small everyday things are more difficult, like having to put on glasses to see something that is being pointed out, or getting out of the shower and not remembering where I put my glasses and having to call someone to help look for them. And of course, poking myself in the eye with my eyeliner because I can't see enough to put it on properly. Small things, but they become bigger annoyances as time goes on and you wish you could see better.I decided to have laser surgery because I want to be able to see without glasses or lenses and I want to wake up in the morning and the world to not be fuzzy. I am at the stage in my life where I would benefit the most in years of being able to see without the need for glasses and I am confident in the procedure and technology that is involved.

Eyesite has been my optician for most of my life and they have always been helpful with anything I have needed. During this process they have been very proactive, talking to me at appointments about treatment options, including laser. They arranged a time for an optician to ring me to talk through each type of procedure and sent me links to where I could find information. They thoroughly tested my eyes at the consultation appointment and answered all questions I had, giving me confidence to go for the consultation at AVC. They booked all my aftercare and post-op appointments at my convenience and are always on the end of the phone to answer any questions. I am most excited about the fact that I will walk out of the advanced vision clinic later already being able to see without my glasses and that I will go to sleep tonight and wake up in the morning and the world will not be fuzzy. My initial concerns were the things that could go wrong and what would happen if they did. However the Eyesite and Advanced Vision Care teams have answered any questions I had. The rigorous testing and professionalism I have experienced has put any concerns I had at ease and now I just have pre-op butterflies.You can watch Charlie's Pre Op Conversation here:Next week, we'll rejoin Charlie as she experiences her first day in a world that is no longer fuzzy.Check out the other posts in Charlie's laser eye surgery journey:Part TwoPart ThreePart Four If you'd like more information about laser eye surgery or any other eye care options, get in touch with our team today, or simply drop in store.