Last Saturday, I had SMILE LASIK surgery at SNU Eye Clinic.
I had vaguely wanted to get SMILE LASIK for a long time, but I did not want to have such an important eye surgery done just anywhere.
So after searching all kinds of social media for SMILE LASIK, I found SNU Eye Clinic. In particular, I learned that Dr. Euisang Jung, the chief director of SNU Eye Clinic, was the first doctor to introduce and perform SMILE LASIK in Korea (wow)!
Since it was surgery on my sensitive eyes, the price did not matter to me at all; I just wanted to do it at the absolute best place :)
So I carefully read through dozens of reviews, quickly made a reservation, and decided to have the surgery on the same day as my consultation.
Because they sent me a preliminary questionnaire before my visit, I was able to receive care quickly :)
Before the consultation, I had several types of tests. There were many tests I had never had before, from intraocular pressure measurement to various visual acuity tests. Each time I had a test, the staff member wiped the silicone parts where my chin and forehead touched with an alcohol swab, so I was able to be examined with peace of mind.
After the tests, I waited briefly and then the consultation began. I reviewed the results sheet together with the consultation manager, and she explained each item one by one and recommended which surgery would be the BEST for my eyes. She also explained in detail the possible side effects after surgery, the surgical method, and the precautions after surgery :)
After choosing SMILE LASIK, I went up to the 13th floor, waited briefly, and then met the chief director right away and heard an explanation about SMILE LASIK surgery :)
Then a staff member helped me change into surgical clothing, and I waited in front of the operating room. From then on, it slowly started to feel real and I began to get nervous.
The operating room had full glass walls, so my guardian could watch the surgery directly from outside the door.
Finally it was my turn, and before entering the operating room, they had me disinfect my hands and guided me to my place. Since I had taken off my glasses and could not see in front of me, I held the nurse’s hand and lay down on the operating table lol
They even gave me a cute stuffed toy to hold so I would not be nervous, but I could not even register it lol
After disinfecting the area around my eyes, they taped one eye closed and fixed the other eye open with an eye speculum. While reading SMILE LASIK reviews, I had seen a few rare reviews saying the surgery had been stopped because the patient accidentally closed their eye during surgery, so I had worried a lot, thinking, “What if I close my eye?” But they fixed it so firmly with the speculum that I absolutely could not close it..!
After fixing my eye open, they adjusted the machine to the correct position for my eye and told me to just keep looking at the green laser, so I only looked at the laser the whole time. During the procedure, fluid also came out of the machine so my eye would not become dry, so I was able to look at the laser while my eye stayed very moist. Since anesthetic drops had already been put in my eye, there was no pain at all, and in an instant the machine made the corneal incision and the director removed the lenticule.
After the removal, I had also decided to receive corneal cross-linking, so after collagen was injected into the incision area, ultraviolet treatment was done for about 1 minute and 30 seconds on both eyes.
Then, with the director congratulating me, the surgery was over...!
Right after the surgery, I had no pain at all, and although my vision was hazy, I could see in front of me.
After getting my prescribed medication from the pharmacy, on the way home in the car my eyes gradually started to sting and tear up (that was probably the most painful moment).
After returning home, I ate and put in the prescribed eye drops every 2 hours, spacing each drop 5 minutes apart (to prevent the medication from being diluted).
About 8 hours after surgery, the pain disappeared, and I was finally able to see properly.
I was so happy that I could see without glasses. I really wanted to use my phone, but I held back, put in my eye drops every 2 hours, and then fell asleep.
The next day, the pain had completely disappeared and everything looked clear. They said daily life would be possible starting the day after surgery, but I rested for two days and then went to work.
My current visual acuity is 1.0 in both eyes, and I am living very satisfied. It was an expensive surgery, but these are precious eyes I will use for the rest of my life, so I do not regret it at all.
Thank you, Director Euisang Jung, for letting me live a new life :)
Like 0