Since the YAG went well, I was honestly less nervous about the surgery (although still anxious to get it done). Starting 3 days before the surgery, I had to use the 2 different eye drops (Nevanac & Vigamox) 3 times a day.
Those little drops are expensive. I called the eye doctor (where I was getting surgery) and asked for samples. They had Nevanac sample and were able to give me that one. (That saved me around $130!) I had to buy the Vigamox, which was about $90. (My insurance didn't cover much.) Luckily I went to Kroger Pharmacy when they had a 'transfer prescription and get $25 for groceries', which was a little relief to the growing amount I was spending on "new eyes"!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was able to get the generic version of Pred Forte, (Prednisolone Acetate), which was only around $12 with my insurance (again, my insurance isn't that great).
No problems with the drops...just anxiety about the surgery.
Note: Shake all the drops before you use them. I don't think you should use them while wearing contacts, but consult your doctor. Also, I think it's helpful to put your head back, place the drop in and then move your eye around (looking right to left and up & down) to help the drop fully penetrate the eye...but again, consult your doctor.
Showing posts with label YAG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YAG. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
YAG - Laser Before ICL
After the doctor checked over all my tests, I was deemed a good candidate for ICL. I scheduled my YAG laser iridotomy appointment before I could talk myself out of the surgery. The YAG was going to be scheduled 1 week before my surgery to allow time for it to heal. (P.S - I'm getting both eyes done at the same time.) The YAG laser is done to make a couple small openings in the colored part of the eye in order to allow fluids to get through to the lens.
The nurse then told me I had to schedule a Physical within 30 days of my surgery and Pregnancy Test within 1 week of my surgery. I've never had surgery before, so I had no idea you needed this before surgery. (This kind of annoyed me, as I had a short time frame to get all these appointments in.)
Back to the YAG - I had read some scary things about YAG - pain, side effects, etc, so I was super nervous going into that appointment. Days before, I started really getting anxious. I kept thinking I can't believe I'm paying all this money to put myself through this nervousness and what if something goes wrong and I can never see again. I'm usually not an anxious or nervous person, so I'm not sure why I got myself all worked up about this.
The appoint takes about 1.5 hrs. They take tests then do the laser part. Ahh...I was so nervous. Moreso about this than the actual surgery. I explained to my doctor some of my fears. He said that side effects are usually just the headache around the brow area (which is why they suggest taking an advil or something like that 30 minutes in advance of the appointment). He described that sometimes it take 2 laser tries per eye and sometimes it can take 10. (Luckily I only had about 2 in the right eye and about 4-5 in the left...I can certainly see where you'd have a much bigger headache if you had to have more than that.). He also said that with Blue/Green eyes it's usually a lot easier and quicker than with brown or dark eyes.
You just put your chin up on a machine and forehead forward (like some of the other machine's at the eye doctor). The nurse helped hold my head and place. They do one eye at a time, numbing the eye, then telling you to hold still and look at a certain spot. The doctor shoots the laser (sounds worse then it was). I don't know how to explain the feeling, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. It was quick and felt like a little not-hurtful pinch. Afterwards they flush your eyes out with sterile water and let you sit in the waiting area for a while. My vision was very blurry at that point (as they said it would be) and I had a mini brow-ache and under eye ache.
After sitting there for about 30 minutes, they test your pressure and that was it. They tell you to go home and sleep and take more advil if necessary. (You need a driver to take you home!)
My mom (aka my driver) and I stopped at the grocery store on the way home. By the time we got there, my vision had begun clearing up. They told me to take the Pred Forte prescription eye drops (I got the generic PrednisoLONE) 3 times a day for the next 3-4 days. I slept for about an hour that afternoon and woke up to my browache being gone and my vision totally cleared up. (At this point, you still need glasses/contacts of course.) I kept my contacts out and just for my glasses for the next couple days just for precautionary measures. Although, they did say that you can wear your contacts up until the day of surgery.
So far, so good!
The nurse then told me I had to schedule a Physical within 30 days of my surgery and Pregnancy Test within 1 week of my surgery. I've never had surgery before, so I had no idea you needed this before surgery. (This kind of annoyed me, as I had a short time frame to get all these appointments in.)
Back to the YAG - I had read some scary things about YAG - pain, side effects, etc, so I was super nervous going into that appointment. Days before, I started really getting anxious. I kept thinking I can't believe I'm paying all this money to put myself through this nervousness and what if something goes wrong and I can never see again. I'm usually not an anxious or nervous person, so I'm not sure why I got myself all worked up about this.
The appoint takes about 1.5 hrs. They take tests then do the laser part. Ahh...I was so nervous. Moreso about this than the actual surgery. I explained to my doctor some of my fears. He said that side effects are usually just the headache around the brow area (which is why they suggest taking an advil or something like that 30 minutes in advance of the appointment). He described that sometimes it take 2 laser tries per eye and sometimes it can take 10. (Luckily I only had about 2 in the right eye and about 4-5 in the left...I can certainly see where you'd have a much bigger headache if you had to have more than that.). He also said that with Blue/Green eyes it's usually a lot easier and quicker than with brown or dark eyes.
You just put your chin up on a machine and forehead forward (like some of the other machine's at the eye doctor). The nurse helped hold my head and place. They do one eye at a time, numbing the eye, then telling you to hold still and look at a certain spot. The doctor shoots the laser (sounds worse then it was). I don't know how to explain the feeling, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought. It was quick and felt like a little not-hurtful pinch. Afterwards they flush your eyes out with sterile water and let you sit in the waiting area for a while. My vision was very blurry at that point (as they said it would be) and I had a mini brow-ache and under eye ache.
After sitting there for about 30 minutes, they test your pressure and that was it. They tell you to go home and sleep and take more advil if necessary. (You need a driver to take you home!)
My mom (aka my driver) and I stopped at the grocery store on the way home. By the time we got there, my vision had begun clearing up. They told me to take the Pred Forte prescription eye drops (I got the generic PrednisoLONE) 3 times a day for the next 3-4 days. I slept for about an hour that afternoon and woke up to my browache being gone and my vision totally cleared up. (At this point, you still need glasses/contacts of course.) I kept my contacts out and just for my glasses for the next couple days just for precautionary measures. Although, they did say that you can wear your contacts up until the day of surgery.
So far, so good!
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