Hiya. I have had a lot of laser sessions, both at the slit lamp (which I think is the standard procedure) and in theatre (what they described as the 'sledgehammer approach, how droll
🙄).
Firstly, good news: the earlier they treat, the less vision loss & laser surgery has an excellent success rate...so try not to worry about vision loss, as hopefully if they get in quick you'll hardy notice any. Things I have noticed (after tons of lasering over a few years) is my night vision is worse than before (but I'm short sighted so it was never brilliant!), I don't like bright lights / glare at all, and sometimes I see flashing white at the periphery of my vision for the first few mins after I put the lights out. I should say the reasons for the amount of lasering i've had is 2 pregnancies & 30+ years of diabetes - I already had background retinopathy before my first preg (during which I got PE so high BP, which didnt help!) and length of time with D is the main risk factor (that & sub optimal control). I've had a lot of lasering & still hold a driving license, as I passed the visual field test with 100%. The main issue for me is blood still in the eye, but I'm hoping they'll operate soon to resolve that.
Has the doc told you what to expect at all? If it's slit lamp then basically they dilate your pupil with drops (bit stingy but not bad), then you sit at the table & put your head into the chin / forehead rests. You're not restrained but you will need to stay still & look where the doc tells you. Top tip - check your BG levels beforehand to avoid going hypo mid session like I did, doh! The doc will put a few more drops in & place a "contact lens" on your eye, which stops you blinking & helps him control where you look. Its actually quite big & chunky, and to be honest half the time htis is the worst aspect, just because you're not used to feeling anything contact the eye. As they do the lasering you just see a very bright flashing light, usually green but i understand this depends on the laser they use. It can be a bit uncomfortable, and the more you have the more sensitive your eye gets to it. The doc can't see where the nerves are so the odd bit might be a bit sore, but let them know & they can tinker with the power settings etc. Sounds daft, but remember to keep breathing!
Take sunglasses with you, as your eye will feel quite tender afterwards (mine do!).
I personally find that I really struggle with vdus / fluourescent lights in the days after lasering, but not sure if htis is just the laser or a combination of laser & the fact I've got a fair bit of blood int he eye, which makes focussing hard.
I understand that the best things you can do to help your eyes now is control your BG (ideally variation during the day as well as HbA1c), blood pressure (ie low as poss, avoid stress etc) and make sure your cholesterol levels aren't too high.
I have to dash now, but feel free to pm me if you want mroe details - its basically a bit uncomfortable & all seems very strange, but you will be ok - and it's worth going through to preserve your vision. Best of luck!! xx
