Jennifer wrote:
> Hi everyone! I am new to the group and wanted to share my story. I
> am 28 yrs old and received my myopia diagnosis when I was 8 yrs old…
> so 20 yrs ago! At my yearly pediatric visit I couldn't see the
> chart, a sudden onset. After getting fitted for glasses, my mom says
> that I was excited that "The trees have leaves."

My sister, who has eyesight only slightly better than mine was coming
home from the eye doctor and said, "Trains have wheels!!" So, I think I
know what you mean!

> Anyway, I put some money in my flex spending and was on my
> way.

Did you lose that money? Were you able to pull it out, or use it for
something else? I looked into doing flex spending for my ICL surgery,
but found out that it would only cover something like $2,000, and I
would get a bigger tax bonus by claiming it as a health expense on my
IRS returns.

Also, were you given a choice between visian and verisyse?

> surgery…..then heartbreak. My corneas were too thin! I had asked
> the nurse at home and she had said 5 people out of 10 yrs had been
> sent back (they do a lot!). So, I thought my chances were pretty
> good. The surgeon then explains that there are other, better
> options. At this point I really can't hear! Sure glad I had that
> valium!

My sister was told that. My doctor said that the LASIK process keeps
getting better, though, so people who were too thin five years ago may
be fine, now. Still, I wasn't going to take the chance. :)

> again...others were new! Like putting a cup on my eye with a laser
> in it with saline to measure the distance to the back of my eye (the
> real measurement of my vision…they said),

Hmm. I didn't get this one. At my doc's they had a machine that beeped
a lot, which I assume was doing this step.

> Off to surgery….several "old" people in the waiting room. The staff
> is wonderful! The surgeon comes out to check on me while I am
> filling out paper work and I ask him if the lenses are here….they are
> and on the counter waiting! Yippee!

Heh. That goes well with my theory that a good ICL surgeon has a
waiting room full of cataract patients. :)

> Now, I'm getting nervous. Pregnancy test…negative. Sharpie marker
> over the right eye.

*Laugh* You had a sharpie? I got one of those self-stick foil stars!
They skipped the pregnancy test on me. :-P

> The next day, I had a check-up with my home doctor.

Heh. My 'home' doctor doesn't know I had the surgery, yet. I can't
wait to spring it on 'em.

> Sorry for the book. Thanks for starting this group!
> My ICL Rx was -8.5 (left) and -9 (right). I agree that we myops
> compensate for the difference in our prescriptions. And I have lost
> that really close vision. I noticed one day when I was trying to
> look at my fingernails really close! Hate that! Another thing that
> has changed is that my eyes seem to protrude more (not bug-eyed, but
> that type of effect). Kinda nice because my eyes always seemed to
> disappear. Hope that's everything…plus some!

I appreciate the 'book'. Mine is even longer, but if you're curious,
you can see it at http://www.timestreamtech.com/mdwyer/visian/ I'm
almost to the 1-year mark with mine, and I'm still very happy. The 0%
financing runs out at the 1-year mark, too, so I'm going to have to
finally write the really big check, soon...

I look really stupid wearing it, but I picked up one of those magnifying
headbands that you always see jewlers wearing. It came in really handy
when I was trying to fix a cell phone!

Can you try the candle trick for us, once you're healed up enough? That
is, light a single candle in a darkened room, and see if the flame has
rays coming out of it or arcs around it? I have the feeling that all
Visian people get that effect, but most of the time, the iris is too small.