Tell Me When You Can Get Lasers Shooting Out Of Your Eyes

I went back for a follow-up on Friday with Dr. Wisotsky, the retinal specialist. The shape of the blister hadn't really changed in two months (I thought this and he confirmed after dilating my eyes and examining). It used to be that doctors would simply advise that central serous retinopathy would go away after a few months, but the latest thinking (according to the good doctor) is that if it appears that it won't heal quickly that it's better to treat it sooner rather than later. Since my blister hadn't changed in two months, Dr. Wisotsky felt it might linger, and that I should think about laser treatment.

And that I should think about it right then.

Cause he wanted to shoot a laser in my eye in the next, oh, three minutes.

Now this is exactly the kind of situation that you read about later when someone's eye explodes and you think, "Ah, see that's where you should have gotten a second opinion. If you felt the slightest bit uncomfortable" --- which I did --- "you should have asked for some time to think about it" --- which I didn't. Amazingly, even though I was kind of taken aback, I said, "I'm comfortable with doing it now."

This was a pretty dumb move, I'll admit. I like to think that I make informed decisions. But there was the appeal of instant gratification, and wanting to get rid of this thing as soon as possible. And, plus, lasers. Shooting into my eye. Who doesn't feel comfortable with that?

When you visualize laser treatment, you probably think of the kind of steady, red laser that a mad villain uses to cut James Bond in half. A slow, gradual application of modern technology. Wrong. This was closer to a stormtrooper shooting green light into my eye, in rapid and erratic pulses, being focused by what felt like a shot glass that the doctor put right on the surface of my thankfully-numbed eye. The laser effectively cauterized the leak that was allowing fluid behind my retina. It was painless and took about 45 seconds.

It's three days later and the affected area is smaller, and hopefully will go away completely in the next week. It seems like it went well. I wouldn't recommend making quick decisions like that when it comes to your eyes, though. You might get shot in the eye with a laser.

Posted by chris at May 10, 2005 12:01 PM