TheMacJedi

Tired of glasses, me too?

The gentleman with me in each photo is my friend Nick.

May, 2001-Top Photo / Bottom Photo-May, 2002

If you read “My wife’s new husband” story then you know wearing glasses ruined part of my fun at Disney World. When I got back I decided to do something about it.

While there are others where I work that have had their eyes done at both John Kenyon and American Eye Institute, I chose Eye Associate’s (812-945-2020 or 866-HAVE-2020 www.have2020.com) because they are using the most advanced form of Lasik instruments as of January 2002. The same doctor (Dr. Black) performs all the procedures and the equipment they have has been in use for more than year.

My first visit to the Eye Associate’s of Jeffersonville (IN) was on Thursday January 31st 2002. This visit was free and designed to test my eyes to see if I could be a candidate. They started with the poof test. Then my eyes were mapped. Did the eye chart test to compared my eyesight to that of my glasses, I received those glasses almost two years ago and my vision had only changed slightly. Not worth getting new glasses. Measured my pupils. The depth of my cornea was measured to make sure they had plenty of room to work.

I am nearsighted, mine is correctable.
I have an Astigmatism, it is correctable.
I have large pupils (6.5mm), they use a 9mm incision which means no halos.
I have plenty of cornea to make the proper corrections to my eyes.
I am the perfect candidate, all of my corrections have no complications.

My eye surgery is scheduled for Friday February 15th 2002 at 1:45p.m.
Must be at Eye Associate’s at 1:45.
Actual surgery begins at 2:30.
Leave for home approximately 3:00.

They called and said that they had an opening a day earlier. So I took it.

My eye surgery is scheduled for Thursday February 14th 2002 (Valentine’s Day) at 2:15p.m.
Must be at Eye Associate’s at 2:15.
Actual surgery begins at 3:00.
Leave for home approximately 3:30.

I picked up my prescription. You’re suppose to take antibiotic eye drops three days prior to surgery.

I’m getting a little nervous. I’m sure the Valium they give me before surgery will ease my tension.
One day to go.

Well this is it, I’ve had my valium (5mg) and could probably use 5mg more. But I’m doing fine. Bring in a blank video tape and they will record your surgery for you, I did and it makes an interesting silent movie. The surgery took a total of 20 minutes for both eyes. After the surgery the doctor had me open my eyes one time to check something. My wife guided me from the doctors office to the car and then the car to my bed. I took some sleeping pills so I would have no trouble falling asleep. I did not open my eyes from surgery for 5.5 hrs when I woke up at home. Took my eye drops watched TV for two hours, took my eye drops again and went to bed.

Post-op exam next morning.  Still have healing to do so any fuzziness will clear up (full recovery 3 months). Before surgery (without glasses) my vision was, Left eye 20/160 with slight astigmatism, Right eye 20/200 with slight astigmatism. After surgery my vision is, Left eye is 20/15 with no astigmatism, Right eye is 20/20 with no astigmatism. Together 20/15. Unbelievable difference in just one day.

I have to take two medicated eye drop four times a day until they run out and artificial tears every two hours or more for as long as I have dry eyes. They lasted about one month.

Post-op exam one week. I’m healing at an amazing rate. Still have slight fuzziness between 4 and 20 feet, doctor says all of the fuzziness will disappear with time. And that a full recovery should net me with 20/15 in each eye.

Brief update for three month and six month Post-op exam. I no longer have any fuzziness. Both of my last two exams resulted in 20/15 for both eyes. I have had no problems.

UPDATE 3/3/2003: I had my one year exam this morning and my eyes are 20/15 with no problems at all. They did many different test and I passed them all with flying colors.

If you were ever curious what those numbers mean:  If you are 20/200 that means what the normal person sees 200 feet away, you can only see 20 feet away. If you are 20/15, what the normal person sees 15 feet away, you can see 20 feet away. That’s better than 20/20.

Dr. Black is an extremely nice and fantastic doctor whom I would recommend to anyone, he is professional, informative and comforting. The nurses were extremely nice, and are a great source of information as well as very comforting.

Everyone who is interested asks if I would recommend this to someone else, as I stand there looking at them without the use of any glasses (which I wore for ten years prior) I say “Hell yes.”

Next question, How much? People off the street $4000, company discount $3200. I did not have the cash for this so I was able to finance it through one of their financial partners. Vision Fee Plan http://www.visionfeeplan.com/ (877-837-2272) I chose 60 months for the lower payment which included 12.99%APR. That means $74 a month for 60 months with no early payoff fee. APR is as low 9.99% with fewer months.

My disclaimer. To the best of my knowledge all of this information is accurate. Please remember that everyone’s results will vary slightly at first and that these are my results.

You are more than welcome to share this story with your friends and family who may also be interested.

Make sure you tell Eye Associate’s, Rob Jones sent you.