I just had my pupils dilated

[huskerlaw]

and then proceeded to drive halfway across Los Angeles, on the freeway, with the sun shining in a particularly painful way...

But the good news is a) I didn't hit anybody or anything and b) I'm getting Lasik surgery in 2 weeks!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear huskerlaw!

You got your pupils dilated? Yikes! :scared:

That stuff gives me an awful headache......I won't let them put it in my eyes....

Lasik surgery? Okaaaaaaaayyyy........Good luck with that too...

I know you've given it a lot of thought, all the pros and cons and all that...

No way would I ever let anyone mess with my corneas...

I know the short-term is good. But they don't really know how the long-term is going to work out...

Everyone I know who's had it has loved it......So enjoy, and don't listen to my cautious voice!

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

2. Hee hee

Yeah, I have a really nasty headache right now...I'm not sure if it's from the drops or from my eyes trying to adjust to everything. I'm guessing the later, since everything is out of focus and the sun feels like it's burning a hole in my retina. ;)

I have pondered the Lasik thing and I'm a bit scared of it, but I'm going to a surgeon who is one of the best in the world. I'm paying for that luxury of course, but he's performed over 40,000 surgeries and has an amazing success rate (97% vs. the national average of 67% for 20/20 or better).

I'm absolutely bat-blind (can't even see the ginormous E on the eye chart) and have been in glasses since I was 8. I'm ready to move on. ;) And I figure even if my vision isn't perfect, it'll be vastly improved from what it is now.

[ThomCat]

3. Good luck with the surgery!

Please don't get yourself hurt driving.

[huskerlaw]

4. Thanks!

The freeways are safe from me now...got myself to work and I have another 3 hours to recover before I drive again. ;)

[otherlander]

5. They did that to me a couple weeks ago

I looked like I'd been licking toads. :P

[huskerlaw]

6. Licking toads? LOL

is that like partaking in hallucinatory substances?

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. No more geek glasses

that make you look hawt?

:(

[huskerlaw]

10. My geek glasses make me look hot?

Hmm. Maybe I should reconsider!

;)

[SPKrazy]

41. kinda yeah!

:shrug:

well, i don't remember if i'd ever seen you until i saw that myspace pic and the glasses look good on ya!

:D

but you've had glasses a long time, i imagine you are ready to try something new!

:thumbsup:

more power to ya!

[GalleryGod]

8. I'd like to dilate mine, sometimes...all 100 of them!

:rofl: :smoke: :crazy:

[huskerlaw]

11. I think my sister

would agree (she's a high school teacher). ;)

[ronnykmarshall]

9. I like getting them dilated.

It's kinda like being on acid.

Not that I would know about that.

I'm thinking about Lasik in 2008.

Any recommendations? I'm in LA as well.

[huskerlaw]

12. I definitely look like

I took a hit or two. Alas, I did not. ;)

So far I like my guy. His name is Dr. Kawesch, his office is on Santa Monica Blvd., just south of UCLA.

I'll definitely update after the surgery, and then I'd be glad to recommend him (hopefully!).

The price is a little steep, but he's apparently one of the best in the world. He's got a really good 20/20-after-surgery percentage (97% vs. the national average of 67%) and he has actually patented many of the instruments they use in the surgery. Also, he's one of the few surgeons who are offering...I believe it's called Wavelength (or, wave-something) Lasik, which does far more in-depth correction than traditional Lasik. That's pretty new though, so waiting until 2008 probably isn't a bad idea. I'm going with the traditional Lasik though.

If cost is an issue, they have a really decent payment plan. It's interest-free for 36 months. :)

[ronnykmarshall]

13. Sounds like a perfect location for me.

The cost isn't that much of an issue. I can do my max on my flex account. My insurance will cover some (I think). What's the total. You can PM if you want.

[huskerlaw]

26. No problem...

it's $2500 per eye for the traditional Lasik and $3000 per eye for the wave-whatever. LOL.

A more precise address would be Santa Monica & Westwood. ;)

[ronnykmarshall]

43. That's about what I expect to pay.

I think my insurance covers about $1600. The rest I can pay via my flex account. I currently wear contacts and I'm distance vision sucks. I've noticed over the past couple of years that my up close vision is starting to get shitty. I think it's worth looking into.

[flamingyouth]

14. I drove my fiance's car in the bright sun last summer with mine dilated.

I wasn't familiar with his car, I had a pedestrian step out in front of me, two people make crazy left turns in front of me - but I too made it home safe. Congrats on a successful trip. I'd like to have Lasik surgery myself. :D

[huskerlaw]

24. Scary, isn't it?!

Thankfully, my vision is nearly back to normal...with one hour left until the drive home. :)

[matcom]

15. why did you type that you had your puppies dilated?

kid. I kid. :D

[huskerlaw]

22. Muahaha, no

but apparently I did bad things to school children.

:dunce:

[KitchenWitch]

16. Good Gods woman!

The sun is INTENSE today.

[huskerlaw]

21. I know!

I nearly started sobbing when I stepped outside.

Thankfully I had sunglasses along... ;)

[Parche]

17. Pupils

Are you a teacher??? :rofl: :bounce:

[huskerlaw]

19. hahaha, omg

I actually am...but thankfully, not English.

Jeebus, I didn't even catch that!

I am going to blame it on my inability to see anything. Yes, that's my excuse!

[Kajsa]

39. Hey now!

It's the same spelling for both!

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/pupils

Don't let him tease you- you had it right!

;-)

[GOPisEvil]

18. Is this the doctor we met at dinner in Santa Monica?

:hi:

[huskerlaw]

20. Actually, it's not!

I feel kinda bad, cuz that guy was nice. But this guy is giving me $1000 off the surgery so... ;)

[GOPisEvil]

23. Sweet! I hope he gives you the full price surgery.

:D

[huskerlaw]

25. PFFFFFFFTT

Hardly. More like 1/5 of it. Alas.

[GOPisEvil]

27. I really should get lasik, too, but...eh....

Maybe if I get a nice raise or something. (Or a new job...)

[huskerlaw]

28. Honestly, I wouldn't do it

except that I am SO blind. I can't do anything without the glasses, and contacts really don't work for me.

[GOPisEvil]

29. Contacts are getting old.

Glasses in the heat of summer are just a pain in the ass. So, either deal with contacts or get the surgery. Right now, the contacts are cheaper, short term, so they're winning.

[huskerlaw]

30. Understood

On all counts.

I never found contacts to be particularly comfortable, and they never corrected my vision well enough.

Glasses just plain suck. Especially during water-related activities.

I can't wait to buy my first pair of insanely expensive sunglasses! :woohoo:

[GOPisEvil]

32. I lost my Maui Jim sunglasses...

...the ones I wore when I drove out. x( Actually, they may have been stolen, but at any rate, they're gone.

Some people are shoe whores; I'm a sunglass whore, although I've found a good place to get buy them a little cheaper.

[huskerlaw]

35. Well that sucks!

I think I'm going to buy el-cheapo sunglasses until I get used to having them. Since I've never had glasses that I take off and/or carry around, I'm sure I'll lose a few pairs before I figure out a system!

[GOPisEvil]

37. I have a pair of Bolle that I like a lot.

They're French. ;) Fossil makes a nice pair of shades, and they aren't horribly expensive.

[Kajsa]

31. Congratulations, huskerlaw!

that's so neat!!

Please keep us posted, I'd like to hear
what you think of it.

Yeah, I know all about dilated pupils
( no, not that!)
I've had flashes and spots in my vision
due to the separation of the vitreous.

So far, it's not that serious.
But every time the eye doctor checked it,
my pupils were dilated.

I almost did hit someone driving home one day.
There is nothing like the afternoon sun
in your eyes, when the pupils are dilated.

Keep me posted,please.

:hug:

[huskerlaw]

33. Thanks!

Thankfully where I was, there weren't any pedestrians...just a lot of cars, which are much easier to see. I was also glad that I knew where I was going...couldn't read a single sign!

I can finally see normally again, 6 hours after they put in the eye drops. Which seems a bit excessive to me, but ok.

I will definitely post after the surgery, either later that day or the following morning, depending. So check back on April 13th!

[SPKrazy]

34. Geez Huskerlaw!

bee careful!

but good thing about the Lasik

get a driver for that one okay? ;)

:hi:

[huskerlaw]

36. Hee hee

Yes, I will definitely have a driver for the surgery day!

The doctor said I'd be fine to drive after the appointment today...LIAR! Ah well, nobody got hurt, so it must be fine, right?

I get to go home in 30 minutes and my sight is finally about normal (thank goodness)!

:hi:

[SPKrazy]

38. Yes Thank Goodness!

sunny LA and dilated pupils don't mix with driving!

:pals:

[QMPMom]

40. OMG, that is painful when you have to be in the sunlight aftewards.

Good luck with the Lasik.

[qnr]

42. I feel for you. The last time I had it done was the morning after a blizzard

up here in Maine. Naturally, the sun was beaming away happily on all that fresh snow.