Dr. Kerry Solomon – LASIK Step by Step Blog
If you’re thinking about LASIK and looking for an ophthalmologist/eye surgeon in Charleston, SC, who specializes in the procedure, we’re giving you a chance to experience LASIK with Dr. Kerry Solomon vicariously. Through this blog post (and some amateur videos), you can get a feel for what LASIK with Dr. Solomon is like–from consultation to post-op appointments. Our friend Wes, a DJ from Charleston’s 98 Rock, was kind enough to document his LASIK journey, so you can walk through the procedure with him, which may give you peace of mind and answer some of your questions.
Consultation/Pre-op
Wes’ journey began with a free consultation at which our team evaluated his eyes to make sure he was a good candidate for the procedure. Here are some of the factors which affect whether or not you should undergo LASIK.
- You must be 18 years or older.
- You must be in good health.
- Your eyes should be free of diseases like glaucoma, cataracts, and corneal disease. Also, you should be free of any eye infections or injuries.
- Your vision must be stable for one year prior to the procedure date.
- Women should not be nursing or pregnant because hormones may affect the stability of your prescription.
These are just some of the factors that affect whether or not LASIK is right for you. When you come in for your free consultation, we can determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure.
Wes turned out to be an excellent candidate for LASIK, so we scheduled a surgery date and full evaluation three days prior to the surgery. During this consultation, we ran tests to make sure everything was in tip top shape for surgery.
Surgery Day
Wes followed our advice and showed up for his surgery wearing comfortable clothes. For most patients this is sweatpants or loungewear, but Wes opted for kitten pajamas. He was sure to avoid wearing contacts for at least 2 weeks prior to surgery, and he left the makeup and hair gel out of his morning routine on surgery day. He also had arranged a ride home.
Once we got Wes’ Van Halen track cued up and gave him a snuggly buddy to hold, we were ready to rock and roll. We numbed and stabilized his eye, then used the first laser to painlessly create a flap. The second computer-guided laser used the precise measurements of Wes’ eye to reshape his cornea for better than 20/20 vision. We talked him through the entire process, explaining what was happening and that what he was seeing and experiencing was normal.
Next, we worked on his other eye. It took only a few minutes to correct both eyes.
Once both corneas had been precisely reshaped by the laser, Dr. Solomon replaced the flaps and the procedure was finished. Immediately after the brief procedure, Wes was able to read the clock on the wall without glasses.
After LASIK Eye Surgery
As expected, Wes saw improvement immediately after surgery. After about 45 minutes of relaxing in a comfy recliner, we checked that the flaps were healing properly, then sent him home to rest. Like all of our patients, we prescribed him with a light sedative to ease his anxiety before surgery and so he could sleep for the first 4 to 6 hours after surgery. He also had medicated drops and instructions on how to use them.
Wes was able to drive himself to his follow-up appointment the next day. Dr. Solomon checked his flaps and we tested his vision, which was 20/15. We asked if he had any questions about medications or aftercare, and Wes was out the door after about 6 minutes.
Like the vast majority of Dr. Solomon’s patients, Wes was thrilled with his results. We were equally thrilled to have the opportunity to help this local “celebrity” achieve remarkable vision–and have the whole experience streamed live on Facebook.
If you are ready for life without glasses and contacts, request an appointment or call us at (843) 881-3937 to find out if LASIK or another of our state-of-the-art vision solutions is right for you. Even if you’re not a candidate for LASIK, we offer state-of-the-art vision solutions that can help you see better and get more out of life.