Today is the first day since I was in fourth grade that I can see clearly without the use of glasses or other corrective devices.
I’d tried contacts back in high school when, as a new driver, I nearly got into a collision with another car that I didn’t see out of the corner of my eye. Looking back with my many years of experience I realize that the near collision wasn’t as deadly as it had seemed that day. Regardless, I had rushed out with this urgency to get contacts so that I could drive better by being able to see more (or so my teenage mind thought). Well the contact urge quickly dissipated after I got one into my eye, then couldn’t get it out again. Glasses were for me, and I’d resigned myself to wearing them.
Then last year my lovely wife, Angie, decided to get Lasik from Will Vision Center. I watched in horror as thoughts of how her vision was being irreparably changed. Holding her had as I ushered my no blind wife around raced through my head as I watched the laser on the monitor cut the flap and then alter her cornea. Much to my relief she escaped the doom that was playing out in my head. I thought about it for myself, but after the contact incident I figured they’d need teams of horses to keep my eyelids open during the procedure along with massive sedatives that would have knocked me out.
Well time passed by and I saw how easy life without glasses or contacts could be. I wouldn’t need to mess with glasses when putting on or taking off the motorcycle helmet. I wouldn’t need to have these monster prescription lenses in my sunglasses, I could wear any old pair. I could look over the edge of anything without a fear of my portal to the clear world falling off my head. Needless to say, I started to think. I didn’t have much time to think because it was time to enroll in next year’s benefits package and by extension my health care spending account. If I was to get Lasik, I’d want tax free money to do it with.
I rushed to Will Vision Center and pre-pre-qualified for it. Damn, I was a really good candidate. I filled out the necessary forms, and the money was spent. The year turned over and now the money was mine to use. If I was going to go through with this I better get it over with before my running season started so that I didn’t miss any races because of it. I made all the appointments so that the momentum of the event would carry me through — cold feet and all.
The week before the surgery I was altering every future statement with “…if I don’t go blind.” I mean, what’s the use of starting to chase after an MBA if I’m going to be blind? Fortunately the surgery went very well, and now I have to make good on those promises I’d made if I didn’t go blind.
It’s really weird to be able to move around without glasses on, yet be able to still see. I’m still having a little blurriness now-and-then, but the doctors say that’s normal this close to the surgery (one day out) and Angie confirmed. I’m looking forward to cheap sunglasses, not inadvertently cocking my head to one side because my glasses frame is crooked, and generally not worrying about breaking my glasses.
If you’re reading this and wondering if you should, I’d say go for it. There’s only a slight discomfort during the procedure and the result is worth it. Of course, if you are going to go through with it, make sure that you’ve researched the procedure and doctors throughly, you’re OK with the risks, and are willing to potentially not be a good candidate.