Eye Examination

So I went in yesterday for an eye examination.  Not your normal eye doctor that gives you glasses or contacts.  An actual hospital devoted to eyes and, in this case, to international relations.  We went to Suseongu area of Daegu which is very expensive.  Everything there is considered higher class than most of the city and is highly sought after.  The main intersection that the hospital is located near is also the most expensive piece of property in the entire city.  So when I learned this, I looked at my friend shocked.  Why did she choose this place of all places?

We went inside and I learned right away that because my friend had booked an appointment instead of just walking in like most Koreans, we got a discount.  Instead of costing $50, it was only $25.  In Korea, that is a lot of money to most families.

We sat down, enjoyed cool water, and then started the examinations.  I went in and had tests at two machines.  Then I was given cool tea and eye drops.  Then I went in and was examined at two new machines.  Then I was given more eye drops (evidently I blink too much) and my eyes became more dilated.  Then I went to two new machines for more testing.  Then I talked to the doctor.  Then I got more eye drops.  Then I went to two new machines.  More eye drops. Talked to the consultant.  More testing.  More testing.  Talked to the doctor one last time about my options.

This is what they said.  They used a machine that was top of the line (forget all the quotes, names, and statistics) to create virtual replicas of my eyes at all levels.  They showed me what mine were like for different parts compared to what another person's eye that is unhealthy looks like.  I passed all the tests with above average (good) scores.  This meant I could have any surgery I wanted with the same degree of safety.

That actually made the choices harder for me.

During all this time that we were in there, my friend kept asking the consultant for discounts.  So when I narrowed my choices to two surgeries, LASEK and Laser LASIK, I was presented with both the original prices (more expensive part of town, remember) and the new discounted prices.

Before discounts, the Lasek surgery was $2,000 and the Lasik was $2,500.
Middle discounts they offer most persistant people was $1,800 and $2,200.
The final discounts they offered, because of my friend, was $1,500 and $2,000.

I chose the least painful option, Laser LASIK at $2,000.  My friend saved me $500.  That is a big deal.  So I told her that after I get paid, I am taking her out to eat at VIPs.  A buffet place I have been really wanting to go to but unfortunately is super expensive.  She paid for my supper last night, this is the least I can do to say thanks to her for all she has done.

At the end of the examination, I was given a snickers bar while talking with the consultant.  It was wrapped differently (because I am in Korea) than it would have been if I had been in the US.  My eyes weren't focusing so I fumbled with it for awhile before I figured out how to unwrap it.

After the examination, we went out to catch a bus to supper and finally home.  I was a bit miffed because my eyes weren't focusing easily.  I could only see things clearly that were across the street.  By the time we got supper, I could focus on things a table away, but reading was hard.  After supper, my eyes were thankfully back to normal so my friend went home and I made my way home.

The End.

The surgery is in like four months so not something happening anytime soon.  There is an examine to double check my eyes one last time on December 6th, a Friday, at 6pm.  I'm going to see if Geoffrey or his wife can come along to translate when to blink, open my eyes, etc.

Then the surgery is on December 11th, a Friday, at 8pm.  My friend can come then and I will stay overnight at her house to sleep off the worst of the effects.  It should only take one day to recover.

I'm told that after the surgery, for a week, not to wash my face or touch my eyes.  When I sleep, I will have to have plastic things covering my eyes.  No using computers, TVs, phones, etc either.

For 6 months afterwards, I should use sunglasses when going outside.

The End - for real this time ;)