One Off The Bucket List - LASIK

Doesn't quite make sense that it's on the bucket list because if I'm going to die, I do not need to see clearly. However, if the world is indeed coming to an end on the 21st, I wouldn't be struggling to find my specs nor to try really hard to spot my loved ones. Then again, I might really need my eye drops.

It's been AT LEAST 6 years of talking about it but what made me take the plunge? Throughout these 6 years or so, I've done countless researches and the more I asked, the more I wanted to do it. When it comes to these things, ironically, I'm a bit of a daredevil or simply because I'm just a little lackadaisical about very important things, hoping for a guardian angel instead.

Cost was another huge factor. I started working in 2006, made good money in the first 2 years which fed an insatiable want for material goods and to feed the wanderlust in me. This only meant when the market tanked during the Global Financial Crisis, I was broke and was facing some serious debts. It didn't help that the company I joined exited Singapore, within months, and I was quickly left unemployed. Things started to stabilise this year but given the big expenditures (wedding & home renovation) expected to haunt us by next year, I was hesitating yet again.

For an entire week, I spoke/Whatsapp-ed/Facebook-ed tirelessly to people who have done it, collating data on various well known ophthalmologists in Singapore, I came to some conclusions:

1. It's almost a 100% (although nothing is 100% so let's give it 99.9%) safe procedure, especially if you pick a good ophthalmologist.
2. Recovery is fast!
3. The side effects are often negligible and it's closely linked to the skills of the particular ophthalmologist. Hence, do not pick one of the "factory line" clinics where they churn patients like donuts.

In conclusion, I picked Dr Lee Hong Ming from Parkway Eye Centre, Gleneagles. He's the guy responsible for my cousin's now perfect eyesight from serious myopia and glaucoma. Most ophthalmologist turned her away but Dr Lee did an incredible job on her. Helps that he's really nice and patient.

The Pre-Lasik Assessment
My eyes were put through all kinds of tests and the most bizarre one spat a gust of air onto my eyeballs. No pain, just mildly shocking. The test for eyesight concluded that I was wearing glasses and contact lenses far too mild for my eyes. I thought I was on 425-450 on each side but in actual fact, I was closer to 600 on each side. I was already half blind so Lasik is probably going to allow me see the world in HD! The eyedrops they used to dilate my pupils made my eyes really sensitive to light and I could barely spot Watziznehm's car when he came to pick me! Do not attempt to drive!

D-Day
Made my way there early in the morning and did the tests all over again to made sure that they have got the stats right. I was then put into this really nice cozy room to wait for my op. While I was there, I heard "tick tick tick" from the laser and I was freaking out! For the first time, I was extremely nervous and I could hear my heart trying to pop its way out of my ribcage.

All memories of the procedure were fuzzy. Everything happened too fast. Technically, I'd be in there for 15 mins but felt more like 5. I was on the chair, a gigantic machine was swung over me, wham bam and next eye... Wham bam and I was out. You mean I just spent a couple of thousands of dollars on that?

I left Watziznehm out there trying out every couch out there and I didn't know I was already in there for almost an hour! Thereafter, I gobbled down my lunch and was knocked out for the rest of the day without any medication at all to help me sleep. This is really miraculous for an insomniac like me.

Day 2
Vision was still a little unclear but damn, it was truly amazing to wake up in the morning and be able to see! I kept thinking I have my contacts on as the discomfort feels like I've over worn my contacts. My left eye didn't stop tearing and for a moment, I was really worried because I couldn't stabilize my left eye when I was told to stare at the red light.

Day 3
Exhausted from a sleepless night and insomnia wasn't exactly helping the recovery. Staring at screens that are backlit was extremely challenging. At this point, I became an expert in dripping eye drops.

Day 4
I was back at work. My left eye was seeing things super clearly but my right eye isn't recovering as well as I had expected. Things were still a bit blur and focusing was taking loads of effort. Working on the computer was quite miserable as both eyes are focusing on different speeds.

Day 5
Was getting entertained on my phone and had to pull the phone away. It was only then I realize that Dr Lee told me that my eyes were slightly overcorrected and my body will learn to adjust. All I needed was more rest. Before that happens, I behave like a 50 year old whenever I'm fidgeting with my phone.

Today, a fortnight later, I regret for not doing this earlier. Having great eyesight is such an understated need. I still think I'm wearing contact lenses when it feels dry but thankfully, my eyes rarely felt like they need the eye drops. My eyes are quite near to perfection although my right eye is still trying to adjust. It is definitely an improvement in terms of the speed of focusing but as compared to my perfect left eye, the right must learn to see again. So if given time to focus, my vision is incredibly clear. Staring at trees and appreciating being able to see every single leaf is a new found joy and privilege.

If I can dish out any advice, I would recommend everyone to identify an ophthalmologist they can trust and get tested for suitability. And if you are indeed suitable, just take the plunge. It's an amazing feeling I can not possibly use the right adjectives to describe.

Before The World Turned Digital

Now that the skeletons are longer haunting me, I can talk about this with a smile on my face. I was cleaning out the closet and found a basketload of cards and letters. I'm glad I have kept them and would encourage everyone to write and give, keep and reminisce. 10 years later, you will look at the silly things you have written or received and I can guarantee that, you will also be having the best time of your life.

So there I was with a basket of cards so I methodically went through one after another. I am definitely not proud of this but I think I broke more hearts than I can remember or wish I did. If life were to repeat, will I be such a cold person all over again? And then I reflected on my life now. According to Watziznehm's, I'm quite an individual person and evidence has shown that I've always been such. I felt sorry for those people who were on the receiving end and got rather angry with myself. I suppose nothing much can be done except to learn from our mistakes. The things we say and do when we were young... The very fact that we had to shoulder no responsibilities at that time not knowing life will slowly introduce us to life and the reality of it, gave us the courage and freedom to say some of the darnest things.

I'm very sure that I can't remember a thing I wrote when I was half my age but what I'm sure is that someone one there will have something I once penned.

Reading through the letters were very therapeutic and made me look rather silly smiling to myself. The best one has got to be the one particular "Get Well Soon" card someone once me together with a pair of toe socks. But perhaps because I couldn't find more evidence of that same person's writing, I tend to treasure it more.

And please laugh with me on this one... "I paged you so many times but you never return my pages. Are you avoiding me?" The above line appeared in several letters from different people. I miss the time of pagers! So before you just post everything onto the database of Facebook in Palo Alto, send them through the mail and expect some love.