Since I was the plump young age of eight, I have worn prescription glasses. Wearing glasses was part of my identity as much as my forsaken swoop bangs and oversized sweaters. It was never something that made me insecure, but I found glasses as a burden. Forget about the times when I thought I lost them and my mom was ready to lose her mind as she screamed, “Don’t you take care of anything?!”
While wearing glasses didn’t bother me growing up, I started to consider alternatives when I reached college. With a little help from my dad, my mom agreed to let me get contacts. I had leveled up! I don't want to bore you with too much about my life before LASIK, because the whole reason I underwent this surgery was in an effort to look forward in life. When asked why I chose to get LASIK it boils down to 3 things; it was cost effective, I qualified for the surgery, it would give a chance to change me for me. Upon first glance, the sticker price for LASIK may not sound like it was cost effective, but hear me out. On average, most laser eye surgery range from $2,000 to almost $5,000. I fell into a sweet spot around $3,000 and in my opinion it was an investment. An investment done right. Whenever I ordered contacts I had the double whammy of getting 6 months worth for like $300 and then having to get an exam every year. If you do the math it adds up to almost thousands spent. No doubt, for a lifetime of clear vision I could skip on adding another Gucci belt to my collection. Qualifying for LASIK was the second part of the equation that added up. I am not a professional nor am I well versed in the jargon, but basically you have to qualify for the surgery. Most people get approved if your vision has been consistent for a few years. You also need to have a cornea that's thick enough to be guillotined for the procedure. No amount of looking at your eye in a mirror will tell you if you qualify. You just have to go in and hear out what the doctor has to say. Before I go into my last point I want to make it clear that even if the first two points click with you, really digest this last one. Getting any type of surgery should be something you do for you and only you. It doesn't matter how charming the nurses are, or persistent the doctor is, or even how glamorous influencers might make post botched life seem, if you don't feel it in your heart don't do it. Surgery is like any other service, it's an industry. That being said, imagine me climbing off my soap box. The most important factor in why I got LASIK was that I felt like it would make me happy. I am month post surgery and I must admit, I am so glad that I got my eyes zapped! If you know someone whose had laser eye or seen the YouTube videos then you might know that this is a super quick surgery. Besides waiting in a chilly operation room for who knows how long, you're in and out in like 10 minutes. The nurses and doctor will both remind you that you can't drive home after LASIK. Cheers to my dad who not only hauled us home, but stopped to get me Starbucks on the way home. My summer order you may ask? Grande iced blueberry black tea! Once I got home, I took the doctor's advice and slept! As long as I could! If you are awake then I promise you you will feel like knives dancing on your eyes. I managed to KO, and for the few moments when I felt a burn I used my drops. Sleep is your friend for both avoiding the real world and the pain of post operation. Something worth noting is that the results take time. I remember calling the clinic like 3 times in my first month, before my visit, because I thought I was going blind. Turns out all my symptoms from blurred vision to halos were just temporary. Like for real, you will see better, just chill out! I'm now about 2 months since my surgery and it truly has been one of the best investments I've made. Way smarter than Swarovski coffee mugs, and only comparable to my joy of adding to the Gucci gang. If you are anyone you know is thinking of getting LASIK I'd say try it out! Go in for a consultation because you won't know your options unless you take a risk. It was the first step for me in catalyzing my process of being the adult Will that I tried so long to avoid. But now I'm an adult will pills to pay, and luckily a sound financial decision I made. |
Author William SamayoaMarketer by profession and storyteller by passion. L.A. raised, proud Latino, and pop culture enthusiast. Categories
All
|