Experience report: Laser eye surgery for high myopia

Author: Dr. Victor Derhartunian 23 July 2021

Dragana S. tells us about her laser eye surgery experience for the correction of myopia.

I was short-sighted, had more than 10 diopters in one eye, a little less in the other, and yes, I had quite a few problems because I had to wear glasses and contact lenses since I was in third grade at elementary school, it was difficult.
In the meantime, I couldn’t tolerate them any more, and yes, I decided to take the big step and have laser treatment.
Excited, nervous about what it would be like.
But Olona was so nice and gave me two glasses of Prosecco, so I wasn’t so nervous anymore.
Yes, I was looked after very well, reassured, all my questions were answered well.
That was really helpful.
Then it started.
Even more nervousness despite the Prosecco, but the doctor explained everything well and told me what he was going to do.
He also explained every step while I was already lying on the operating table, and it was unpleasant.
But it was only the brace that holds the eye open that was uncomfortable, but I hardly felt the laser or anything.
It didn’t hurt, the light was a bit bright, that was the only thing, but it didn’t hurt.
I think you have more horror fantasies about what’s going to happen than what actually happens.
Immediately after the operation, the doctor asked what time it was.
I could see very well, I was very pleased to see the doctor, to see very clearly.
But he still said, please don’t get too excited, we have to look at it first, and good.
I suppressed my joy, and outside on the street, despite my glasses, I was able to see the street names straight away, I think I got sunglasses, I had to wear them.
Not so clearly yet, of course.
And seeing things clearly fluctuated, depending on how I was feeling on the day, whether I was reading something close up or further away, it was a bit difficult for me at first because it’s unusual to see straight away and until the eye works, the brain has to work.
But after a month I could see really clearly, completely 100%, without glasses.
I could drive, I could read license plates, I didn’t have any difficulties at all in the dark, or in sunlight, that it was somehow irritating or something, really pain-free, and I didn’t have to be corrected, which was really great.
In any case, I have already recommended it to a friend who has fewer diopters.
But it doesn’t really matter how many diopters you have, you just can’t see well, and that is a quality of life that is priceless.
I would definitely do it again, and really recommend to anyone thinking about it not to think about it too much, but to go for it, because anyone who has glasses knows what it’s like when you have to look for them in the morning.
It’s not pleasant, you can’t see anything, it gets in the way when you’re doing sport or putting on make-up, I think women know what I’m talking about.
You can’t see yourself so well and then you’re stuck to the mirror, so really, I would definitely do it again.  

author image

Author:

Dr. Victor Derhartunian

Nachdem er sein Handwerk von den beiden Pionieren der Laserchirurgie gelernt hat, gehört Dr. Victor Derhartunian zu den führenden Augenlaser-Chirurgen. Er leitet die Praxis in Wien und kann seine Patienten in fünf Sprachen beraten.