Follow My Laser Vision Correction Journey With Sandton Eye Clinic.
For those of you who have bad eye sight and have to wear glasses you’ll understand the struggle of waking up and the first thing you look for are your glasses, or putting your glasses on your head because it’s fogging up or hurting the bridge of your nose or the side of your head and then not being able to find it🙈. It’s absolutely frustrating looking for them when you can’t even see without them!
And then there’s the dreaded contact lenses. When you want to look ‘cool’ and wear makeup so it can be seen without a thick protective glass blocking your artwork but then you have the struggle of not being able to see clearly because makeup somehow got onto your contacts, then there are times when your eyes become like the Sahara Desert and oops! one of those contacts has fallen out, and it’s usually from the bad eye, and now you’re left looking for it with one okay eye and a really bad blurry one🤦🏼♀️. And let’s not talk about traveling and wanting to swim in the ocean! The struggle is real!
This is just a glimpse of what my life has been like for almost 20 years, I struggle with nearsightedness and astigmatism and that is why I’m on a journey with Sandton Eye Clinic to get clear vision so that I’m not restricted to do the things that I love and to experience the world without the blur.
Day 1 Consultation To See If I Qualify For Lasik
Watch my Instagram S.E.C story highlights to follow my journey since day one. I had a series of eye tests done to see what Laser Vision Correction surgery is best suited for me. Sandton Eye Clinic has state of the art equipment, and the staff is so friendly and welcoming and happy to answer any questions👌🏼.
The consultation was long because they did a thorough examination, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. After 2 hours of comprehensive eye exams, which included getting my eyes dilated, which was a bit uncomfortable as I wasn’t able to see clearly for the rest of the day. Dr. L. Coetzee went through my results and concluded that TransPRK would be the best option for me rather than LASIK.
Check out my Sandton Eye Clinic reel on Instagram to see how my first consultation went.
PRK vs LASIK
For years I’ve struggled with my eye sight and been so reliant on my glasses and contact lenses and what seemed like a dream that’s out of reach was finally becoming a reality and words can’t describe how grateful I am and how blessed I feel to finally get Laser Vision Correction done.
At my consultation it was decided that TransPRK surgery would be best suited for me as my cornea’s are thin and oddly shaped due to years of rubbing itchy eyes from allergies (the worse thing that you can do is rub your eyes please learn from my mistakes). I also have congenital cataracts from birth in my right eye. So TransPRK was a safer option in my case than having LASIK done.
What is PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)? PRK is a refractive surgery technique designed to reshape the cornea without creating a flap but rather removing the outer layer of tissue and exposing the area of the cornea that the laser reshapes. This enhances your ability to focus clearly without the aid of corrective eyewear. LASIK creates a thin flap in the outer layer of the cornea. The flap is then lifted to reshape the cornea using a laser and then repositioned. This allows for quicker recovery time. The PRK results are like LASIK, but healing time and discomfort after surgery is more.
My procedure was then booked, which is 10-20 minutes long, 5-10 minutes on each eye. I was so excited to finally see the world through MY eyes and not through a lens, yet I was nervous about the actual procedure and discomfort that was to follow😨.
I’m so grateful that Sandton Eye Clinic will free me from the limitations of wearing glasses and contact lenses with just a short procedure.
I will be taking you on this journey with me not only through this blog post but you can see my actual procedure here.
Here’s to clear vision and finally getting rid of my glasses and contact lenses that cause such discomfort and cost a fortune🥂.
The Day Of My Procedure
I was extremely anxious the days leading up to my procedure as I wasn’t sure what to expect and also afraid of the discomfort I was about to experience.
On the day I picked up my prescription, which consisted of eye drops, 5 in total, Valium, pain meds, and Vitamin C. Eye tests were then done to see if my prescription was still the same as it was in my last consultation. After getting through the eye tests, I then took a Valium, covered my hair and shoes, and went in for surgery.
The procedure was explained to me and numbing drops were then applied into my eyes, my eyelids were then clamped one at a time and I had to look at a green light while the laser was going over my cornea’s (one eye at time). It wasn’t painful at all, but to be honest, you can smell the laser reshaping the cornea’s.
Once that was done a tiny white looking cotton pad soaked in Mytomycin to help with the healing process was placed into my eyes and then taken out, eye drops were applied and bandage contact lenses were then put into my eyes which I had to keep in for 4 days while my cornea’s were healing.
The procedure lasted for 5-6 minutes for both eyes. Once I got up from the table, I could see better than before without my glasses, but my vision was extremely blurry. I put on my sunglasses and went home, and then the numbing drops started to wear off, and I could feel some pain and discomfort but I applied my pain drops, took the pain meds and went to sleep. The next day, my eyes were extremely swollen and very watery. I could barely open them, so I spent the next couple of days sleeping and waking up every 4 hours to apply all 5 of my eye drops, with 5 minute breaks in-between each eye drop so that each one is thoroughly absorbed.
Overall, the procedure was quick and painless. The discomfort wasn’t fun. You can check out my S.E.C Higlights, where I explain the pain and discomfort. Day by day, my vision fluctuated. For about 2 weeks, I could only see objects at a distance but not up close. It took some time for my eyes to start adjusting. It took about 6 weeks to 3 months for stable vision, but it was so worth it. I could already see a lot better in a week than I ever could before, especially long distance. I find myself still reaching for my glasses sometimes, not realizing that I can see without them.
What Has Life Been Like Since My PRK Procedure And Having Better Than 20/20 Vision?
Well.. I feel like I’m experiencing everything for the first time through my eyes, not through lenses. Life looks a lot clearer now, and I can see the beauty of the world without the blur👀. I’m constantly celebrating these small moments.
One of the biggest changes for me has to be driving, I can see the road and road signs a lot more clearer now without having to change from prescription sunglasses to eyeglasses all the time and without having to worry about contact lenses falling out. I can drive at night without experiencing the glare from car lights and traffic lights as the astigmatism has been corrected. I feel a lot more confident on the road and in crowded places.
Crowded places use to make me feel disorientated. If you have/had bad eye sight, you would know what I’m talking about.
Being able to relax in bed and watch TV without laying on my glasses has been amazing, I finally feel comfortable. I recently watched a 3D movie for the first time since my procedure, and boy, was it an awesome experience! I always use to wear the 3D glasses over my spectacles. It was so uncomfortable that I had to remove them throughout the movie, but now I enjoyed the movie without any distractions😁.
Concerts are so much fun now, I can finally see the stage! I recently attended a music festival and literally stood in the crowd for hours, just staring at the stage and taking everything in🤩. After my last check-up, I went to the amusement park to celebrate my new sight, and it was loads of fun, not having to worry about contacts or glasses falling off during the rides.
As a makeup lover, not having to wear contacts when I do my makeup has been amazing I don’t have to stress about the makeup getting into my contact lenses and blurring my vision, this started to become a huge a problem in the last months before the procedure.
Lastly, time and money…I’m not wasting time putting in contact lenses before I attend events and missing out while taking bathroom breaks to clean my contacts and feeling so tired when I get home but still needing to remove them. I’m not wasting time having to pack solution, contact lenses, and glasses for when I go on vacation. I’m also not wasting time looking for my spectacles every time I take them off. I’m no longer spending money on new prescription glasses every year and contact lenses and solution every month.
Oh wait, let’s not forget about the ear pain and head indentation from wearing glasses all the time🙈 I don’t have to struggle with that discomfort anymore😁.
What I would really like to experience again, but this time with my new eyesight is snorkeling in the ocean and exploring different countries. The first and last time I went snorkeling, I couldn’t find Nemo because I couldn’t see him! All I could see were beautiful blobs of colour swimming by🙈.
I could go on and on about everything that has changed for me, but I think I’d rather show you through my adventures via my social media platforms😉.
Life has definitely been more exciting and clear for me lately🤭. This has been the best thing that has ever happened for me, I’m so thankful to Sandton Eye Clinic and Dr. L Coetzee for giving me the gift of sight it’s something I’ve always dreamt of, and they have made it a reality for me…I’m forever grateful🙏🏼.
Let me know if you would consider getting Laser Vision Correction?
From my personal experience I highly recommend Sandton Eye Clinic for Laser Vision Correction, they have state of the art equipment, they are very knowledgeable about all procedures even ones that I thought were not available in South Africa, the staff is always very friendly and helpful, Dr. L Coetzee answered all of my questions and eased my mind. Lastly, they are there for you every step of the way you can just WhatsApp them with any concerns throughout the process, I also love that it’s a year of consultations to check on the progress of the eyes where you can also speak to the Dr. about any discomfort and concerns you may have, and he will happily answer them and assist where necessary. Dr. L. Coetzee is one of the best👌🏼.
Comment below if you have any questions, I’m happy to answer them😊. Don’t forget to check out my S.E.C Higlights on Instagram, where I share my entire experience with you.
*Disclaimer: This post is part of a collaborative exchange between Bianca Chanté Balutto & Sandton Eye Clinic.
Complimentary procedure to share journey to visual freedom.
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