Your eye works much like a camera. As light enters into the eye it’s focused by the cornea and the lens onto the retina which is like the film inside your camera. When the image isn’t focused directly on the retina it appears blurry, and that’s why people use glasses or contact lenses to get that image into focus. Refractive errors can fall into three basic categories: nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. In nearsightedness patients can see things up close but they have problems with their distance vision. In farsightedness people see things relatively well in the distance but have problems with their up close vision. And with astigmatism pretty much at all times images are blurry.
Well I first became interested in Lasik surgery when I actually met someone that had Lasik surgery about 3 years ago. And once I knew someone that actually had Lasik then it became something that seemed much more realistic and something that I wanted to do, and just wanting to get rid of glasses. Well my main frustration was waking up in the morning and having to stumble around looking for my glasses, but I also didn’t like the fact that anyplace I went I always had to have my glasses on. During the summer I couldn’t wear sunglasses because I didn’t have prescription sunglasses. So it was just frustrating to always have to have these things attached to my face. But now, I mean I actually just recently had my surgery and just in this short amount of time I’ve just noticed a difference in that it’s great to be able to wake up in the morning, open my eyes and actually be able to see. To not have to go out in the sun and I can put on sunglasses. So it’s been a sort of night and day difference between when I was wearing glasses and now that I don’t wear glasses.
I live on the 8th floor of a building in D.C. Looking out over my balcony and reading everything that was on the side of taxi cabs and reading billboards and reading signs, so it was a lot of just a discovery of, wow I can actually see without my glasses.
The first day that I came in when I sat down with Ester, I’m not sure what her title is, but she really made me feel comfortable about the procedure, answered all my questions, and was able to speak through some of the concerns that I have, and also meeting with Dr. Kang he did the same for me. So after that first meeting that I had with them I was about 80% sure that I wanted to do it. And then after about a week of deliberation I was sure that I wanted to have it done here. So I mean it’s definitely something that I recommend for other people. It’s super quick, super easy, and the results are amazing. I mean being able to actually see without glasses is just an amazing thing.
It’s life in general. I think one thing is going to the gym, it’s really hard to work out with glasses. And another thing is swimming, I love to go swimming, I love the ocean, and you can’t really see with glasses and contacts would just come right out of my eyes, so it was just wasn’t really working out. I wanted Lasik for years. Several of my friends have gotten it and my sister’s actually an eye doctor so she’s been pushing it for years too. She says it’s safe, it’s easy. So I’ve just been excited to do it, and I was at a point in my life where I was like, okay I’m ready. It’s really getting my way, I don’t want to wear glasses anymore and I’m just gonna go ahead and do it.
I was a little bit scared but there’s nothing to be scared of. They have a really good reputation. I read about the doctors and I was really impressed with their background. And there’s also a book up front that’s letters of patients. So I felt really comfortable with them, knowing their background and their responses from other patients. I would definitely recommend it to other people. It’s so easy. I was out in 15 minutes. Took a nap, woke up, could see perfect. Could see my clock, could see people across the room, it was just a wonderful experience.
They’re really friendly. The whole staff is and the doctors are, and they take really good care. And you’re quick and you’re in and out very quickly but there’s just a lot of hospitality and they’re very nice and they’re very complimentary, so they just made me feel very comfortable and I appreciate that because you don’t always get that from doctors.
I’m 41 years old, I am a fitness manager. I enjoy outdoor activities, water sports, and just an active lifestyle. So that’s my only regret, I’ve been wearing glasses for 25 years and I wish I’d done it earlier. I see the world differently. Really I don’t wake up in the morning looking for my glasses. I’ve noticed the differences. I’m always pressing up to see if they’re still there. No more discomfort on the nose pads, behind the ear. And just a lot of things I think I took for granted. Just how easy it is to move about without the glasses. Just not worrying about falling asleep and rolling over on the glasses. And when I look back, $400 for a pair of glasses over the years and contacts and solutions, it was well worth it.
Five years ago I went in to see if I was a candidate and I still waited, into science and sports and medicine, wanted to do a little bit more research and just let the technology advance a little bit more. Found I was just putting it off for no valid reason. And I met Sabrina, business coordinator here, she was awesome. And what I found the difference was, there are a lot of other options out there that were really highly qualified, it was the people. My pre op I came in, I got a lot of information, they really explained it in great detail, removed any worries and talk about future needs for vision. I was just comfortable. And when I came in it was the comfort and the care. The surgery, I was in at 3:30, 3:45 I was in the procedure room, 10 minutes later I was being checked and walked out the door. It was perfect.
But I think the biggest difference has come afterwards. Not just the vision but they call, they follow up. People. And the service industry, I can really appreciate that.
Well before Lasik my glasses were a part of me. I mean I wore them so much they were kind of part personality and part for sight. But I’m active in the outdoors, so I’m a runner, triathlete, so they got in the way a lot in terms of having to go swim and put goggles on or running. And then for the evenings I’d never found contacts that worked great. I mean I would put them in and my eyes would be instantly red or I’d have big bags, and I’d kind of walk out the house looking tired before I’d even stepped out, so it was a little bit frustrating for me. So I was in glasses more than I wasn’t.
Well I’ve had a lot of friends that had done it and everybody kept telling me I should do it, and I had my brother and my sister were both getting married within 3 months, and I knew the weddings were coming up. And again because I always looked really bad in pictures when I put contacts in it was a huge impetus to get it done, and I was also starting to train again. If I have any regrets it’s that I didn’t do this four years ago. It’s by far probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. I ran 14 miles this morning actually. I didn’t have to worry that my eyes were gonna be itchy or my contacts were gonna fall out, I could concentrate on the run.
I definitely would recommend Eye Doctors of Washington. I’m a very analytical person so when I decided to have it done I did a lot of research, and everything that was on paper proved true in reality. They are very helpful. If you have any concerns they take the time with you, and again just during the actual surgery which is, you know you’re nervous, it’s very comforting. I mean Dr. Clinch is really comforting and really talks you through it and then the kind of care that they give you afterwards. Dr. Clinch called me to check in that afternoon, you know see how I was doing. So it’s that kind of personal service that you don’t often get in doctors these days that I think makes this by far the best place to get Lasik done in the city if not anywhere else.
With custom LASIK treatments we can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. But more importantly everyone has minor imperfections in their eye which are called higher order aberrations. The custom treatments map all of those higher order aberrations and can smooth those and make the surface much more uniform. It’s what allows many people to see better than they every could before the treatment. It actually makes the vision in many people superior to what it was with their glasses or contacts.
The analogy that I like to use is that standard LASIK or old fashioned LASIK is kind of like watching TV with standard cable. But when you’re using custom LASIK, where the images are taken at a much higher resolution, it’s like seeing everything in high definition, and patients can really tell the difference.
They’re actually several different surgical strategies that are available to try to help patients get rid of their glasses. There’s Lasik, there’s PRK, there are implantable contact lenses. Our goal as a refractive surgeon is to match the appropriate procedure to the patient. So the way we do that is by doing a very thorough preoperative operation, and when we’re evaluating patients we’re looking at the contour of their cornea, how thick it is, as well as a lot of other physical examination findings. And we’re correlating that also with their lifestyle.
A 26 year old is obviously different in terms of their visual needs than somebody that’s 50. Somebody that’s an accountant is different than somebody that sky dives, and these are all things that we take into consideration when we are making the recommendation as far as what’s the best procedure for each patient.
So pretty much after the surgery I just went home, fell asleep, and I guess was a bum pretty much all day, slept slept slept. But then the most amazing thing was when I woke up the next morning and I immediately woke up, was squinting my eyes, and I realized I couldn’t see what the alarm clock was saying. And so I opened up my eyes and I could see everything perfectly, it was amazing. Granted it was 3:30 in the morning, I didn’t want to wake up, but the fact that I could see the alarm clock was definitely one of the most amazing things ever. I didn’t think they were actually telling me the truth, I didn’t actually believe it was gonna happen by the next day, I honestly did not. But it did, and it’s pretty awesome.
Hey Sammy. Hey Dr. Kang how you doing? Oh man fantastic, I woke up this morning I could see the alarm clock, first time in probably 18 years. Alright perfect well let’s see what you got. Sammy is rechecked on the first postoperative day. At this time we check his vision and make sure his flap is positioned well. Alright. Dr. Kang actually just came in, told me I have better than perfect vision, 20-15, so that means that what you see at 15 feet is what I see at 20 feet. So technically, genetics I don’t even care about you anymore, because thanks to Dr. Kang and Dr. Clinch, I can see now.
Perfect. Alright well congratulations that couldn’t look any better. Awesome, thank you Dr. Kang. Now what do I do with these? Well obviously those are no use to you anymore. Hmm.
Alright now I want to the thank the Eye Doctors of Washington of course, Dr. Clinch, Dr. Kang for everything. But before I head out I’ve got some unfinished business to take care of with these glasses of mine.
Hey. How are you? You excited to get rid of your glasses? Of course, I’m ready. I’ve been practicing my look, how great I’m gonna look without the glasses so…Alright, welcome we’re gonna get you started here. I’m gonna have you just meet with Elise and she’s gonna go over a couple of things and we’ll go from there.
Hey Sammy nice to see you. Come around this way. Alright. And lay back so your head’s on the pillow. And you want to say goodbye to those glasses? Alright I’m gonna give you something to hold on to. And we’ve got a blanket here for you too. Alright and I’ll get Dr. Kang. Do I get a bedtime story too? Hehe.
Right now Sammy’s laying down and we’re putting some drops in to numb or anesthetize the eye so he’ll feel less discomfort. Some patients are very anxious that they might move during the procedure making it less precise. The Excimer laser uses a special eye tracking software which will move with the patient’s eye, allowing a very precise treatment despite eye movement. Alright close your eyes and I’m gonna get the doctor.
Hey Sam you ready? Dr. Kang up here. Alright we’re gonna get you started here. During the first part of the procedure we create the Lasik flap using the intralase. The intralase creates tiny bubbles in the cornea to create the flap. We place a docking station on interface onto the surface of the eye. During this process you will feel some pressure and your vision will actually go dark.
Alright Sammy I’m just gonna turn your head just a little bit this way, good just relax. Okay you’re gonna feel a little bit of pressure here. You know what they were honest, there was literally, they said a little bit of pressure. I think the way I could see it is like, you know, the difference between hit in the face or if somebody just sits there and just constantly pushes your face, that was it. It was just like a little push. It didn’t hurt at all, I didn’t actually feel any pain. I never said ow. I mean yeah I might have looked like a wuss with a little stuffed animal squeezing onto him like I was, but you know what, yeah it didn’t hurt at all. I promise you it didn’t hurt, I just really like stuffed animals.
During the next part of the procedure Sammy’s flap is lifted and then we use the Excimer to reshape his cornea. Now that the custom Excimer laser treatment has been completed, Sammy’s flap has been repositioned. It was too easy, it was like 35 minutes, no joke. It takes me longer to get Chinese food than it did to get my Lasik surgery.