LASIK, to do or not to do?

My hubby loves to see me without glasses. He said I looked much prettier without them. If I wear contact lenses, I'm always complaining about having dry eyes. I can only wear contact lenses on special occasions. One day, he told me he wants to pay for LASIK for me and said that he will work harder to get better incentives in order to finance the treatment for me. I'm touched and really wanted to do it..well, of course wives want to always look good in their husbands eyes.. =)

But I hesitated because I read that if you are planning to get pregnant within the next 6 months, you are not eligible for LASIK. Furthermore, it's something to do with the eyes, if something goes wrong..it will affect the rest of my life. But what worries me the most is that my dry eyes will get even worse after LASIK. Some people say they have to deal with dry eyes for 3-4 yrs after LASIK and that's for normal eyes. For people with dry eyes like me, it might be forever and that's scary.

After looking through the internet for information on LASIK, I called up two clinics in Ipoh to inquire. 

1) Lee Eye Clinic in Greentown

- Usual price at RM6K for both eyes and now, they are giving a RM300 discount.

- Screening test is RM120, but now they are having promo, and it will be RM60. Need to call for appointment as the tests need 3hrs. 

- For contact lens user, need to be off from contact lens for at least 10 days. 

2) Chew Eye Specialist in Fairpark

- Promo price at RM3999 for both eyes. (Very good price, right?)

- Screening test at RM150. No need appointment for test. 

- Told the girl I just wore contact lens just 3 days ago. She said never mind, can do the test. I was puzzled over the differences of the 2 clinics.

Anyway, I went to do the test last Saturday at Chew Eye Specialist. The clinic was very full. I was told that the tests need 2hours. I thought probably there's a lot of tests! I was wrong.

First thing they checked was my cornea thickness. It has to pass a certain thickness. Otherwise, you will be eliminated as candidate for LASIK and it won't be necessary to do the other tests. My cornea thickness is good and I was checked on my eyes topography. After that, I waited to see the doctor. 

Once I was in the doctor's room, I told him I have dry eyes and that I need to put eye drop many times a day. He said he will do an extra test to check the tear production of my eyes. I saw him writing "Schirmer test" on my examination card. After he checked my eye vision, he asked me to wait outside because the other tests require to put some kind of eye drop on my eyes and will affect the dry eye test.  

Later, I was called into a room by a lady. Probably a nurse. She placed two strips with scale of 35mm on my eyes. I did this test at Dr Gill's in Fatimah hospital before and immediately I sensed that something is wrong. The strips were irritating me so much till I teared up. The strips were placed in such a way that my eyelashes could touch them. I think it's supposed to be placed pointing downwards as in this photo below. But it was pointing upwards. I couldn't even blink or close my eyes!

I couldn't find any google image that show the strips pointing upwards. The reading was between 8-12mm. I didn't believe the results and asked the nurse to fold the strips slightly so that they point downwards and so she did. Weird..she supposed to know what needs to do. And that results was 1-3mm for both eyes!!! I was puzzled because the nurse listened to my suggestion to redo the test. She wasn't even sure of what she was doing!

sorry about the eyes looking like vampire... =.="

When i was called into the doctor's room again, the doctor told me I'm qualified to do LASIK. The tears production was 8-12mm. I was full of doubt. I thought it was 1-3mm. They have taken the first measurements to conclude that I'm eligible for LASIK. But in fact, I think I am NOT qualified! 

See the picture below  I found on the net. It says that I might have severe dry eyes. But then, even at 8-12mm, I still have dry eyes. Shouldn't the doctor treat my dry eyes before conducting LASIK on my eyes? I'm so confused and lose confidence with this clinic. 

Another puzzling thing is that the doctor told me my spectacles vision power is overrated. I have checked my eyes multiple times at different places. All gave me similar results. How can there be a -1 difference? My right eye vision is -2.0 and my left eye is -3.0 but he said the actual power are -1.0 and -2.0. He suggested me to reduce my vision to -0.75 by LASIK due to my age as I might develop "Presbyopia" (nearsightedness). I'm thinking what's the point if my vision problem is not that high, only reduce from -1.0 to -0.75? And I have dry eyes problem? 

After all this, my decision is NOT to do LASIK. I need to confirm my vision first and treat my eyes dryness. I think they are more important at this point of time.

Btw, I forgot to mention that I have to pay another RM65 for doctor consultation and RM20 for the Schirmer test. So, in total, I paid RM235 for the pre-LASIK screening test! I thought she told me it was RM150. Should have just told me it costs RM215 in my earlier phone inquiry. All patients need to meet the doctor for consultation la! It's not even an option! Hmph...