I've told Twitter, I've told Facebook, and now I shall tell you: yesterday I had laser eye surgery, and it was a complete success!

The results are absolutely outstanding. It's unreal to think that I had the operation just 26 hours ago, and yet already I have 20/20 vision when using both eyes. Over the next few months, my vision should become even sharper. I'm overwhelmed with joy, I've barely stopped smiling since I came out of the surgery room!

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I had Intralase LASIK with Wavefront, which to slightly over-simplify means that the operation was totally blade free, and that the operation takes into account the actual shape of my eye, as opposed to what they describe as a "one size fits all" approach. As far as I'm aware, it's the very best treatment that you can currently get - and I got it half price!

The actual operation was fine, but it almost didn't happen. I had my consultation on Tuesday with Optimax in Reading. When they analysed my results, they said that my cornea was ever-so-slightly too thin. It has to be 500 microns thick to make the right cut, and mine were 490 on one reading, and 510 on another! The consultant showed me an alternative treatment, with an animation which looked like someone taking an old man's shaving blade to the surface of my eye. She said that the operation, which is apparently called Epi-LASEK, takes a lot longer to heal, and can hurt more, and then to encourage me further she quoted me a price which was a thousand pounds more than the treatment I wanted. I told her that I wasn't interested. It was either the treatment I was booked for, or nothing. She tried to convince me, but I stayed firm. And after a bit of chat, she said that there was a possibility that the surgeon might perform the operation, but we wouldn't know until the day.

So I go in the next day for the operation. The surgeon takes one look at my notes and says "yes, this will be absolutely fine", in a tone that suggests that in his mind there was never any doubt that it couldn't be performed. Lol!

My surgeon was so awesome. His name is Dr. Ayoubi, he looks like this, and I cannot recommend him enough. He was kind, patient, and did an absolutely expert job. As I sat down for the operation, he said to me "Don't worry, I've done this ten thousand and one hundred times." Which as reassurances go, has to be among the best. Actually, they gave me a leaflet with a bit about his history, and it's awe-inspiring. He's been performing the operation for as long as it has existed, he's had research papers published, and he's travelled the world to do his work. It was an honour to meet him - I simply cannot believe my luck that I had such a great man working on my eyes. It was a privilege.

To my amazement, I genuinely wasn't nervous until the moment the nurse told me that it was my turn. As she led me into the theatre, I suddenly thought to myself "Oh Christ, what have I agreed to?!" - but I need not have worried. I genuinely felt nothing at all on my eyes from the surgery. Not a single thing. Having said that, they put clamps over my eye to hold them open, and they hurt like a bastard! Not on the eye, but they really dug into the bone just underneath my eyebrows. And that was really uncomfortable, BUT it's only for about 3 minutes in each eye, so who cares. So, what actually happens? Well, after the clamps go on, the machines power up. They're loud, they sound as if they're about to pump out a laser which could destroy Tokyo, and they smell dreadful. I'm going to assume (and hope) that the smell is from the laser itself, rather than the smell of my burning corneas. But there is ridiculously little to say about the operation itself. They shine one red light into each eye in turn, then there's a pause, then they shine a different red light into each eye, and it's all done! In and out in five minutes, ten minutes max. There's no bandages over the eyes or any of that, you just pop on some shades, keep your eyes moist with eye-drops, and then you're on your way home!

I was able to see quite clearly as soon as I left the building, and I was fine until I got into my Mum's car, when I found my eyes suddenly becoming much more sensitive to light, so I put my coat over my head for the journey home, and then sat in the dark for a few hours. I'd planned ahead and set up a playlist of old Chris Morris Radio 1 shows, which was a wise move. Even while I was recovering, my eyes didn't "hurt" at any point. For the first 4 hours I found it hard to open my eyes for the eye drops, but by nightfall I was walking around the house with my shades on and my eyes open, with only the very slightest feeling of discomfort. I went back today to have my eyes checked, and they've confirmed that the whole operation was absolutely textbook. I can see perfectly, I don't even need my shades around the house (though I'm wearing them anyway just to be safe), and already my vision is 20/20.

This is going to be life-changing. Now, when I look up, I can see even the faintest wisp in the clouds. When I look down, I can see the cracks in the pavement. When I look at trees in the distance, I can see individual leaves fluttering in the wind. I can see birds gliding through the sky with a remarkable clarity. I can see words with ease, I can see measurements with an acute precision - and to think that over time my vision is going to get clearer still! The feeling of confidence and satisfaction in actually being able to see is extraordinary.

If you're thinking of having it done yourself, I simply cannot encourage you enough. I would definitely recommend Optimax, (I think you get £500 off if you say I did) and I would especially recommend Dr. Ayoubi. I sincerely believe that all the money in the world could not buy you a better and more understanding doctor. He is peerless, among the very best. I don't know if it's possible to request particular doctors, but if you can have Dr Ayoubi, you will be in the presence of greatness, and you will not need to worry about a single thing. If he has a fan-club, I will be its most devoted member; if he has a newsletter, I would read it twice.. Do every single thing that you possibly can to have the operation performed by Dr Ayoubi, a most extraordinary surgeon. I will be eternally grateful to him for the work he has performed on me, and for the gift of sight that he has given me.

Optimax themselves were a good company to work with, but the confusion about whether I'd be suitable for the operation cannot pass without mention. I understand completely that the consultants are not surgeons themselves, and although they're highly knowledgeable it's ultimately up to the person doing the operation but when the consultant saw my results, she was initially quite insistent that I wouldn't be able to have the operation I wanted. She spoke in terms of "not possible" instead of "maybe possible". It was only when I told her that I wasn't interested in Epi-LASEK that she said "there's a borderline chance that the surgeon might do it". If she'd said at the start "I don't think you'll be able to have it done, but let's see what the surgeon says", then I wouldn't have had a problem.

I must stress that I genuinely do understand how and why such a thing can happen. The consultant has my safety in mind, and you can imagine the trouble that would be caused if she had recommended me for a surgery which wasn't safe. So I am glad that she was cautious, and I'm grateful that she was thinking of the health of my eyes instead of just giving me what I wanted. But considering how confident the surgeon was the following day that I could have it done, I think it's quite a notable mistake, especially as I could have ended up paying a thousand pounds more for increased soreness and a longer recovery time.

So I honestly would recommend Optimax, but I would also say that if they say it's not possible, wait to hear those words from the surgeon. If you're considering having it done, and you've any questions, then please feel free to ask me, I'll be happy to tell you more about my experience.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some things to look at!

Image of laser eye surgery taken from Stephen Baack's Flickr.