Vision

Last Friday I went to the optometrist to get my eyes checked out for possible laser treatment. I arrived in reception at 9 and was told that the tests and things would take 4 hours. Insane! They had previously told me to arrange a lift home after as I would be unable to drive. So I told my dad to go home and I would call him when he could come and fetch me again.

I was lead to a cozy little room and shown a video on the lasik procedure. The clinic made the video themselves and it was funny to recognize all the staff. They must have had a mass booking at the beauty salon before the documentary was filmed! Everyone was in their best clothes and covered in make-up

With the video done I had to go for a normal eye test. It was a "Read the letters on the wall behind me" type thing. Then I had to look into another machine while they took photographs off my eyes. It was weird. All I could see was green speckles.

Once this was done I was lead to another room and told to sit down in front of some scary machine. It looked like the Hypnotizer from some old science fiction movie, all concentric circles and flashing lights. This turned a lot more scary when they strapped me into this machine with leather straps. I was sternly told to keep my eyes open and then the machine hummed to life. I stared intently at the revolving circles while lights flashed on and off in my retinas and hoped they were not programming me. I might have to kill someone when I hear a song on the radio or something...

After my brainwashing was done I was lead out to a room where I sat while the spinning lights disappeared from the inside of my eyelids. I puttered around on their computer system while I waited. There were these really cool photos of my eye in blue, yellow and gray that I wanted to copy, but they did not want to let me plug flash drives into their computers :(.

Then it was time for the drops. These little bastards BURNED! And they dripped drops in three times! By the time they were done, my pupils had expanded so much that I could no longer see any color in my eyes. There were just two huge, black circles. I looked like an owl on drugs. Then all the tests were repeated to test my night sight.

With my eyes in "blackest night" mode, things were getting really bright for me. Those drops must have paralyzed my pupils or something... I longed for some sunglasses! Anyway, I finally met the doctor and he had a look at all the printouts and figures. He answered all my questions and then disappeared to go and do some calculations. When he came back he told me I was the perfect candidate for laser eye surgery! Something about my cornea being X thick and it only needs to be Y. I got enough cornea to do this thing 3 times if I need to.

I went back to reception ( squinting my eyes ) and tried to book the actual operation. Due to a cancellation they could help me 4 days later! I quickly phoned my boss, but I was unable to get off from work. There was just not enough work days left before my trip to Cyprus and too much to still get done. The week after I am back, I can't get it done either, as I am going to scuba in the beginning of September and I can't do that with raw wounds on my eyes. So eventually I booked for 22 September.

I phoned my dad to come and pick me up and stood outside, squinting at people. I could see why they said I would not be able to drive, things were VERY bright. This ended up lasting for 3 days! People kept giving me odd looks as I looked very high on something.

This operation is damn far away still. But at least I will be able to see the bands at Woodstock without worrying about glasses or contact lenses! Yay!