Sophie loves running and swimming, but her contacts would often get in the way of her enjoying her sports fully and she found that her dependence on glasses and contacts to be quite challenging at times. Sophie first noticed that she was short-sighted in her teens when she applied for her full drivers license. Although she had passed the eye test 12 months prior when sitting her restricted, this time Sophie found it hard to read the small letters on the Snellen eye chart.
“I was about 17 or 18 at the time when I went to get my full and I remember saying to the lady “are you sure those are letters?” (they looked like fuzzy symbols to me). Then I went to the optician and he showed me what my vision should be. I remember noticing that I could see the leaves defined on the trees and the tar seal on the road once I had my first pair of glasses.”
Life with this vision challenge made small everyday tasks difficult and at times frustrating. “Probably the biggest struggle was stumbling blindly to the bathroom every morning to put my contacts in and remembering to take contact lens solution and spare lenses with me whenever we went away somewhere. I also play in an orchestra and I found it really hard to read the sheet music at a distance.”
At the age of 28, after weighing up the costs and reading up about the benefits of laser eye surgery, Sophie decided to book her laser eye surgery with Auckland Eye; “I weighed up the cost of buying contact lenses and solution for the rest of my life and the hassles that come with contacts and decided that over a lifetime the surgery would easily pay itself off.
After the surgery, Sophie now enjoys physical activities and music without the hassle of dealing with contact lenses. Laser eye surgery has radically improved her everyday life by removing the obstacles that her visual problem created;
“Every aspect of my life has been changed by laser eye surgery really. Prior to surgery, I was pretty blind so if I didn’t have my contacts in, I couldn’t really see a thing. It has helped massively with sports. I am very into sports and am really keen on running so to not have to be worried about losing a contact lens while out running or having one wash out while swimming in the ocean is amazing! It also makes camping a lot easier!”
When asked if she were to go back in time, would she make the same decision to get laser eye surgery, Sophie replied; “Yes 100% I would do it again. It is the best thing I have ever done. It was a totally painless procedure and so quick to have done. Straight after the surgery, I sat up and could read the clock on the other side of the room. My brother has seen the difference it has made for me and would also love to have it done one day.”
If you can relate to Sophie’s pre-op struggles and are tired of the hassles of contacts, why not book your free initial laser consultation with Auckland Eye?
To find out if laser eye surgery is right for you, call 0800 63 93 93 and our experienced team will happily talk you through the process and answer any of your questions you may have about laser eye surgery. Like Sophie, you too can find freedom from contact and glasses with laser eye surgery!
Auckland EyeMonday, 30 Sep 2024In today's digital age, prolonged screen time can cause eye strain and discomfort. Learn eight tips to maintain eye comfort and overall wellbeing.
Auckland EyeFriday, 20 Sep 2024Curious about laser eye surgery and how age factors in? Read more to find out!
Dr Aaron Wong brings cutting-edge glaucoma care home to New Zealand.
