30 yo male, LASIK in Mumbai, India

After alternating between glasses and lenses for the last 15 years, I finally went in for LASIK last week.

My numbers weren't bad (about -2, both eyes), with the left eye improving by -0.5 in the last couple of years. I used to be a fan of wearing contact lenses earlier, and in fact often would wear them and fall asleep during travel. However, over the last 4-5 years, I think my eyes became quite dry and my contact lenses just wouldn't sit. I would put them in, and after a few minutes, my eyes would feel terrible and I had to always get them out.

Coming the LASIK, I was always a bit cautious getting anything done to the eye, and decided to wait out as long as I could before being able to trust the tech completely. My uncle, who had a pretty large number (-8, I reckon), got his LASIK done in 2000 and his vision has been fine all along. But that still made me wait, because the tech was still kind of new. And I read about all these disasters with LASIK, and having to deal with starbursts and halos after the procedure, so having to wear glasses seemed like the best option.

However, over the last couple of year, colleagues with whom I work got LASIK done, and they didn't go blind after the procedure. In fact, all of them had good things to say about it (yes, variable vision for the first few days, and possible double vision and blurs etc), but after 6 months, they were able to enjoy pretty good vision. So that kind of pushed me to the get the procedure done.

So, I went over to my local eye doctor, and she ran a couple of tests - first were basic tests to check if the number on my glasses and my eye matched, and then they did the pupil dilation to check the eye in detail. She also ran some tests to check if the corneal thickness on both eyes were good for LASIK. All this took a couple of days, and everything came in positive. My doc was pretty friendly and also asked me if I knew anything about LASIK, and what the procedure entails. Having read up on the procedure for so long, I rattled away all my thoughts on it and she was very happy because I was well-informed about the process and the possible side-effects. However, she also put in a word of caution saying that night driving might be uncomfortable after LASIK because the headlights and night lightd might seem kind of glowly. She said this from her husband's experience, so that was pretty nice on her part.

Small heads up on the pupil dilation - get the procedure done in the evening, because once they dilate your eye, everything looks clear and white, and you won't be able to read anything comfortably for about 4-5 hours. You can probably hold your phone an arm's length away and read a little, but it is not a good experience - so evenings are the best, when you can just get home, and probably watch something on the tele, or fall asleep for a bit.

On the day of the LASIK - the doctors again run a couple of tests to check your number, and to determine what mm of the cornea needs to be cauterized. They made me read and sign consent forms which gave possible long-term and short-term side effects of the procedure; you are usually asked to get someone else along with you, and even that person needs to sign.

So after the initial tests and formalities were done, I was led into the room where the machine is placed. So, there are two machines - one which cuts the flap on your cornea, and the second one which actually adjusts the corneal thickness to correct the vision.

So the first machine - they made me lie down on this bed, and the head-rest has a hole in it such that the top of you head and the base of your head fit in. They made the bed move from the second machine to the first, and the noise/feeling I got was like of what we would feel inside an airplane. Anyway, once my eye was under the first machine, the doctors told me to follow what they said. They covered off my left eye with some patch, and then opened up my right eye with some kind of a loop, and then dropped some eye drops, and then they placed something else over the loop and again put in some drops. After this, they asked me to look straight into the machine, and concentrate on the lights on the edges of the machine. I was asked to keep looking at them while the machine worked, and cut the flap. You don't feel anything here, and I didn't have any kind of vision blackout. Because of the drops, everything just seemed very fluid. They then removed all the stuff they put around the eye, and then covered my right eye, and repeated the same procedure for the left eye.

The above process took about 5-10 minutes, I think. No pain here, just a weird feeling when they put out those rings around the eye to keep you from blinking.

Once the first machine did its work, it was time to move to the second machine. Again, they closed off one eye, put in the rings around the eye to keep my from blinking, and also had some kind of a gauze on top of it. They put it some drops, and asked me to look into the machine. They asked me to keep looking at the green light, and when the process began, you would also see some red lights around it. This is the process where you might feel a dull ache in the eye, and you will also smell a bit of burning. The entire process too about 1-2 minutes for the first eye, after which they put in some drops, smooth out the gauze over the eye (I think putting in the flap properly), and then they repeat the process for the second eye.

This process must have taken, at best 5 minutes.

After the process is done, you will be able to see a little better, but vision would be hazy/foggy because of all the drops.

The doctors then took me to another room and then checked the eye again to see if the procedure went off perfectly; which it did, in my case.

After the procedure, I was told what to be done for the next few days. The doctor advised me to head home and get some sleep (4-5 hours), after which I could begin putting in my drops. I wore the sunglasses on the way back, and kept my eyes closed for as long as I could. Got home and slept for 4 hours, and began with the drops.

The vision was pretty great, and the evening lights weren't too bad either. I avoided watching any TV on this day, and also used the phone only sparingly.

The next day, I went to the doctor for a follow-up. She made me read the tests, and I felt weird to be able to read them without any lenses over my eyes, but she was quite happy with the vision. She quickly checked both eyes, and said everything was great. I had a bit of irritation in the right eye from the day before, so she checked that out too, and turns out that sometimes the drops have little particles in them, and one particle was stuck on my eyelid, and was giving me that feeling. she swabbed it clean, and I feel great.

It's been three days now, and I feel great. Try to lubricate the eyes as much as I can, and also avoiding rubbing the eyes, or getting any water into the eye. The doc advised to hold off any hairbath for a week, so doing that too.

It's been so long since I could see without glasses that sometimes it still feels like I am wearing lenses at home. The vision is that good!

I have had no complaints so far - night lights seem a bit glowly, and occasionally I get a small twinge of pain in the eye, but that's just for a second and then it disappears.

I have realized that you need to put in the lubricant right after you wake up, because your eyes are quite dry first thing in the morning. And also try to open your eyes slowly after sleeping, because the dryness makes you blink real quick, and that gives a discomfort.

that's my experience, hope this helps. would recommend everyone to get LASIK done, if you are eligible for it. it really is a huge boost to how you feel!