Lasik Consulation

As the previous post said - I have no vision insurance and have used up my contacts.  So what will I do for the next six months to see?  My solution was to go get Lasik eye surgery.  This is on my bucket list and figure instead of applying money to a doctor appointment and more expensive contacts I should just place it towards fixing my eyes for good!  

I made the free appointment with Vance Thompson in SF.  He is the best in the world and I refuse to go to anyone else.  Besides that I knew that I am a risky and tough candidate because of my stigmatism, eye size, and correction.  I'm blind.  Also, in the past from my eye doctor has told me that I would not be able to have the surgery.  However, this time I wanted the real surgeon to make the decision if I could or could not follow through with my dream.

The day of I wore my glasses all day… this is super tough for me because I hate how I look in them, plus they are the wrong prescription so I am somewhat blind too.  Anyways, I made a list of questions, did research and arrived early.  First the nurse took me through a series of tests to measure my cornea's thickness, width of the eye, and vision correction.  After that I sat in the doctor's office… basically sick to my stomach wondering if I would be a candidate for the surgery.  

When the Dr. Thompson came in he looked through my charts and told me the best news ever.  

I COULD HAVE LASIK; however, there was a catch.  If I had Lasik, he would have to thin out my cornea so thin and flat that I could potentially form a lump on my eye and never be able to wear contacts again as well as my vision be messed up.  So he suggested having implants.  This is an actual surgery where the doctor would cut open my eye and place a magnifying glass behind my eye.  Next he would stitch it up.  

This was not looking so good because through my research I knew that the surgery could run up to $6500 for both eyes.  However, when I asked him the price of the surgery he said that since I had horrible eye sight and stigmatism that the procedure would cost $5000 PER EYE.  When I heard this I broke down and cried.  It was awkward, and apologized for being a baby.  

He suggested I waited until I had had a few years in the workforce and saved up some more money.  

I suggested that he keep my file handy because I would be back.

So now I'm trying to be thrifty.  I have decided that I will make a budget with my lovely GA stipend of $650/month.  Now $50 will go into Lasik Savings.  I figure when I am 40 I will have an "Over the Hill" Lasik Party.  The party favors will be those funny dilating glasses for everyone!