Surgery
Leading up to this day, I wasn’t nervous about the surgery itself. The long term risks, however, had me quite rattled. The new floaters I had experienced post iridotomy reminded me that this surgery was not without risk. I honestly started to feel paranoid every time I saw flashing lights, wondering if it was an issue with my eyes or just the environment around me. My greatest fear was ending up with an undiagnosed retinal tear that developed into a retinal detachment.
As I sat in the surgical waiting room, my anticipation was growing, and I was starting to get nervous not only about the risks, but about the surgery itself too. I knew they would be giving me some kind of oral sedative, and I debated whether or not to take it since I often have a sensitive stomach and didn’t want to get sick. Nevertheless, taking something to calm my nerves was sounding more and more appealing as time went by..
When I was finally called to prep for surgery, my husband wasn’t allowed to go with me. I was led up an elevator and into a room into that resembled a dentist’s office with rows of dental chairs. A nurse got me dressed for surgery, with a cap to cover my hair, surgical booties and a surgical gown. I’m sure I looked super fashionable as I requested anti-nausea pills, which were given to me along with two sedatives (which I did take). Then the dilation began. I needed to have 5 rounds of eye drops, each ten minutes apart, and I needed to keep my eyes closed the whole time to help the drops take effect. At that point, I was feeling really thankful for the sedatives since fifty minutes of surgical anticipation felt like forever.
When it was my turn for surgery, the nurses wheeled me into the operating room and asked me to lay on the operating table. The sedatives were working pretty well by then because I hardly cared that I was just about to have surgery on my eyes. I had warned the doctor and nurses in advance that I don’t get numb easily, but they had assured me that eyes were different and that I wouldn’t feel a thing. My doctor also reminded me that the iridotomy was supposed to be the worst of the procedures, and that was obviously already over.
A drape was placed over my face and then the surgery was underway. I could occasionally see glimpses of the instruments being used. The majority of the time, I saw a cascade of swirling colors. Unfortunately, the doctors were incorrect about the anesthetic being more effective on my eyes because I did feel some pain toward the end of the surgery on my right eye. It was completely bearable, but I immediately told the surgeon that I could feel it, nervous that it would get worst. He immediately told me he was giving me more anesthetic, which didn’t really seem to have any impact. Fortunately, my right eye was finished incredibly quickly after that.
The surgical room needed to be torn down and resterilized for my left eye. I was a little more anxious since I had experienced some discomfort with the right eye. I did end up feeling more pain with the left eye and again, my surgeon told me he was giving me more anesthetic than he normally gives his other patients. The discomfort increased but didn’t last long and though more uncomfortable, I was able to tolerate it. In the end it wasn’t so bad that I wouldn’t do it again if I had to choose between having or not having Visian. However, I would recommend twilight anesthesia if you have difficulty getting numb.
As soon as the surgery was over, they sat me up and had me look at the clock. My vision was definitely blurred from all of the drops and surgery, but I could definitely read the time. I have to admit I had built up this moment in my head and I think the doctor did too because I could tell they were waiting for a reaction. I was still feeling loopy from the sedatives and, believe it or not, didn’t care all that much in that moment. I dutifully told them how amazing it was, but I was really too out of it to truly appreciate it!
After a short period of recovery time back in the dental looking chairs, I was reunited with my husband as we waited for a pressure check. One hour later, I was given the all clear to head home.
As I sat in the surgical waiting room, my anticipation was growing, and I was starting to get nervous not only about the risks, but about the surgery itself too. I knew they would be giving me some kind of oral sedative, and I debated whether or not to take it since I often have a sensitive stomach and didn’t want to get sick. Nevertheless, taking something to calm my nerves was sounding more and more appealing as time went by..
When I was finally called to prep for surgery, my husband wasn’t allowed to go with me. I was led up an elevator and into a room into that resembled a dentist’s office with rows of dental chairs. A nurse got me dressed for surgery, with a cap to cover my hair, surgical booties and a surgical gown. I’m sure I looked super fashionable as I requested anti-nausea pills, which were given to me along with two sedatives (which I did take). Then the dilation began. I needed to have 5 rounds of eye drops, each ten minutes apart, and I needed to keep my eyes closed the whole time to help the drops take effect. At that point, I was feeling really thankful for the sedatives since fifty minutes of surgical anticipation felt like forever.
When it was my turn for surgery, the nurses wheeled me into the operating room and asked me to lay on the operating table. The sedatives were working pretty well by then because I hardly cared that I was just about to have surgery on my eyes. I had warned the doctor and nurses in advance that I don’t get numb easily, but they had assured me that eyes were different and that I wouldn’t feel a thing. My doctor also reminded me that the iridotomy was supposed to be the worst of the procedures, and that was obviously already over.
A drape was placed over my face and then the surgery was underway. I could occasionally see glimpses of the instruments being used. The majority of the time, I saw a cascade of swirling colors. Unfortunately, the doctors were incorrect about the anesthetic being more effective on my eyes because I did feel some pain toward the end of the surgery on my right eye. It was completely bearable, but I immediately told the surgeon that I could feel it, nervous that it would get worst. He immediately told me he was giving me more anesthetic, which didn’t really seem to have any impact. Fortunately, my right eye was finished incredibly quickly after that.
The surgical room needed to be torn down and resterilized for my left eye. I was a little more anxious since I had experienced some discomfort with the right eye. I did end up feeling more pain with the left eye and again, my surgeon told me he was giving me more anesthetic than he normally gives his other patients. The discomfort increased but didn’t last long and though more uncomfortable, I was able to tolerate it. In the end it wasn’t so bad that I wouldn’t do it again if I had to choose between having or not having Visian. However, I would recommend twilight anesthesia if you have difficulty getting numb.
As soon as the surgery was over, they sat me up and had me look at the clock. My vision was definitely blurred from all of the drops and surgery, but I could definitely read the time. I have to admit I had built up this moment in my head and I think the doctor did too because I could tell they were waiting for a reaction. I was still feeling loopy from the sedatives and, believe it or not, didn’t care all that much in that moment. I dutifully told them how amazing it was, but I was really too out of it to truly appreciate it!
After a short period of recovery time back in the dental looking chairs, I was reunited with my husband as we waited for a pressure check. One hour later, I was given the all clear to head home.
Comments
Post a Comment