I can see (very very) clearly now
LASER CORRECTIVE SURGERY WITH DAVID GARTRY AT MOORFIELDS EYE HOSPITAL
ITHOUGHT laser corrective surgery had long since become old hat when I had it done three weeks ago. But when I explained to people why my eye was a bit bruised-looking on Monday after the Saturday procedure, I was met with fascination. “What was it like? Did it hurt? Can you see? Was it horrible? Did they clamp your eye open? What happens if you sneeze during it? How long did it take? You’re so brave! I want it done.” Not old hat yet, then.
I had Wavefront-guided IntraLASIK, the best corrective procedure to date. First, a femto-second laser cuts a flap in your cornea. Then, a computer-guided excimer laser makes the prescriptive correction to your lens. The Wavefront scan is like having a fingerprint taken for each eye to ensure total programmed accuracy in correcting the vision.
Sounds gruesome? It is a bit but it’s also amazingly quick and painless with superb results. Moorfields has an excellent menu of surgeons, but I was lucky enough to land David Gartry, laser pioneer and head of refractive surgery at the hospital. He talked me through through each step as it happened, which was soothing.
The first laser involves some suction pressure and made my eyes ache: it was pretty unpleasant. The second laser is utterly painless but be prepared for the smell of burning flesh (carbon molecules on your eye breaking down). And yes, my eye was clamped open so I couldn’t blink. But they keep your peepers lubricated and numbed with drops so that’s no issue. Time??About seven minutes, total. My eyes stung and were red the first day and vision was patchy. Next day: “Hello, world, I have driving standard vision!” Monday morning I had better than RAF standard vision and it’s now better than I could have imagined. Downsides? Nil, so far.
£3,400 for both eyes at Moorfields. www.moorfields.nhs.uk