Eye-laser surgery diary (Trans-PRK method)

7. One year later

Long story short: my eyes are pretty much perfect.

My eyes were sensitive for several months afterward, both to light and in the sense that I was afraid to rub them. Those problems are gone now. They almost feel the same as before the treatment. There is still a little bit of heightened sensitivity and moments where my eyes feel vulnerable, but that is still slowly declining. Even though I could pick up my regular activities after a week or two, it took about nine months before it felt like my eyes were close to completely recovered.

As of today, my vision is insanely good. I can see more than people with “good” eyes. It happens at least once a week that I can read something that’s really far away and people around me are deeply impressed.

No dry eyes anymore, and I’m currently in one of the driest places on the planet (Western Australia). Long computer hours, air-conditioning and flying don’t bother me, either.

Bright lights at night still have a little bit of halos around them, but that’s nothing more than a nuisance. This was also true in a much more pronounced way when wearing glasses or contacts.

Overall, I couldn’t be happier with the result. It is truly amazing how well it turned out. Another bonus, I can finally wear sunglasses like these (no prescription possible on those).

8. Five years later

My eyesight is still perfect.

I can still read tiny things from a ridiculous distance. The quality of my vision hasn’t diminished one bit over the years, despite spending endless hours staring at computer screens.

My eyes had a little bit of heightened sensitivity for about two years after the surgery, but that is gone, too now. It feels they’re completely back to normal. I’ve been back at practicing martial arts without worry for about four years now. 

Bottom line: if you’re willing to rough it out during the treatment, it’s very worth it.

Feel free to drop me a line if this was helpful or you have any questions.

Further reading

If you enjoyed this read, check out my photography, podcast, and blog.

Photo

Header photo by Douglas Muth, CC License