Why I Got Eye Surgery - ICL Part 1
HELLO everyone...
I've been considering for a long time whether to share this information as it concerns my health and body. In the end I think I'll share it anyways in case it benefits someone!
Welcome to my ICL journey. This is a 4 part blog series.
Overnight camps, airplane rides and etc were a bit of a fuss because my eyes tend to become dry with contact lens, and I don't really see very clearly with my glasses. (I also looked liked a frog.)
Why suddenly consider eye surgery?
During a Christmas meetup with my softball friends, I was urged to consider it as it has great ROI (Return on Investment) the earlier you did it. I have many friends who had their eyes corrected by Lasik, but only one friend, M, did ICL!
I found her to be the most convincing as well because she, like me, had high degrees in both eyes. She had already done the procedure three years ago and so far everything was great. She patiently answered all my questions and encouraged me to check it out. Thanks for introducing this to me!
ICL, or Implantable Collamer Lens is a procedure to correct your eyesight.
Funny how a tiny, thin piece like this can change your life completely!
Why not Lasik?
While much cheaper and more easily available, I was unfortunately not suitable as I have thin corneas and was thus rejected. (See old post: My Almost Lasik Experience) Also, I have heard of some horror stories like friends having night blindness or having to wear glasses again due to improper care (both cases were LASIK).
The Cost Factor $$$$
M's ICL surgery would be about $10k for both eyes. The hefty price tag was definitely something to consider.
I've been considering for a long time whether to share this information as it concerns my health and body. In the end I think I'll share it anyways in case it benefits someone!
Welcome to my ICL journey. This is a 4 part blog series.
About my eyesight
I have high degrees and astigmatism in both eyes. I've been wearing glasses since early on in Primary school, and contact lens since Primary 5 or 6. My parents mostly blame my poor eyesight on my voracious reading habits, but my sister doesn't really read and she has bad eyesight too. Lol. Maybe it's
I have high degrees and astigmatism in both eyes. I've been wearing glasses since early on in Primary school, and contact lens since Primary 5 or 6. My parents mostly blame my poor eyesight on my voracious reading habits, but my sister doesn't really read and she has bad eyesight too. Lol. Maybe it's
just in the genes.
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| Glasses over the years... |
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| My thick lens - although my optician already assured me they were using the 'thinnest' technology |
Overnight camps, airplane rides and etc were a bit of a fuss because my eyes tend to become dry with contact lens, and I don't really see very clearly with my glasses. (I also looked liked a frog.)
I much preferred my contact lens, especially for sports (I did sailing, softball and enjoyed basketball and swimming.) I imagined a life without worrying about contact lens and glasses and seemed wonderful~
Why suddenly consider eye surgery?
During a Christmas meetup with my softball friends, I was urged to consider it as it has great ROI (Return on Investment) the earlier you did it. I have many friends who had their eyes corrected by Lasik, but only one friend, M, did ICL!
I found her to be the most convincing as well because she, like me, had high degrees in both eyes. She had already done the procedure three years ago and so far everything was great. She patiently answered all my questions and encouraged me to check it out. Thanks for introducing this to me!
About ICL
ICL, or Implantable Collamer Lens is a procedure to correct your eyesight.
It's recommended for people who are not suitable for LASIK or high degrees. A little slit is made and a lens is inserted into your eye.
Here's what the lens looks like in real life, courtesy of a pen I was given:
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| A pen with a sample! |
Funny how a tiny, thin piece like this can change your life completely!
Why not Lasik?
While much cheaper and more easily available, I was unfortunately not suitable as I have thin corneas and was thus rejected. (See old post: My Almost Lasik Experience) Also, I have heard of some horror stories like friends having night blindness or having to wear glasses again due to improper care (both cases were LASIK).
To my understanding, Lasik is a laser procedure that 'shapes' your cornea, while ICL makes a little incision and inserts a lens into your eye. It's an additive procedure so you can kind of 'remove' it for whatever reason in future.
M's ICL surgery would be about $10k for both eyes. The hefty price tag was definitely something to consider.
I heard a little about this procedure before back when M was getting it done, but I probably dismissed it because there were a lot of big looming payments for me: the costs of a wedding, house and renovation. The idea of eye surgery also sounded very intimidating and scary.
Now that we have moved in for quite a bit and my bank account has recovered a little, I had more bandwidth to consider this! I guess I could have done this procedure long, long time ago for the best ROI but I would say it's still good timing due to aforementioned circumstances, and my age/ eyesight was more stable too.
I also encouraged myself to embrace 'upgrading opportunities' like this instead of trying to romanticise my astigmatism and how it made rainy nights look pretty. (techniques to discourage self from spending this big sum of money. lol)
(Other 'upgrading opportunities' I used to scoff at include : Simply Go, Apple Pay, and using an iPad for busking. I had 101 reasons for not using them but now they are so ensconced in my life, I laugh at myself for not jumping on the bandwagon earlier.)
Technology also had a great 'lead time' to be more precise, safe, and affordable.
I also read a lot about the whole ICL experience on Reddit (both overseas and in Singapore). It was very helpful to me to read about others' experiences, and I hope to contribute to the pool as well.
How did you choose your clinic? (Dr. Natasha Lim Eye Centre)
I did some research online but mostly I chose this clinic because my friend recommended it. Dr Natasha herself did the procedure.
How did you choose your clinic? (Dr. Natasha Lim Eye Centre)
I did some research online but mostly I chose this clinic because my friend recommended it. Dr Natasha herself did the procedure.
I think the costs are probably a bit higher but as it's an eye surgery, I didn't't want to play around and would feel safer with an experienced doctor. (Eagle Eye seems to be quite popular in Singapore as well? A friend was quoted $11k for high astig, low degrees, but maybe it's due to the doctor chosen as well)
I was also recommended to try get eyesight correction procedures in Korea, or Indonesia, which could help with bringing down costs. It sounds like a holiday, but please bear in mind that you'll have to travel for subsequent follow-ups too. Food and accommodation costs will also add up. If you're travelling with a buddy, that may also negate any cost/price benefits.
After consideration, I decided to bite the bullet and made an appointment at the clinic, on New Year's Day, no less. New Year, New EYES!
To give you a clearer picture of the whole journey:
here's my timeline and costs:
(*Your costs may differ)
How long do the lens last?:
Dr advised that when I'm 60, I may have cataracts or lao hua.
Girl Math?
So if you divide this amount over say, 30 years, it's about $331.415 a year.
It might be quite worth it, as the cost of contact lens, lens solution and glasses do add up over the years too.
Of course, please acknowledge that there are risks in every surgery. (You'll have to sign a form before the surgery.)
Weigh that against the main reason why you are considering this surgery in the first place. Your new eyesight may offer you benefits like convenience and increase your quality of living.
Conclusion
I'm really glad I did the surgery, and the following posts will share my experience in further detail.
Whatever your reason, I hope this series will benefit you~
Love,
Skye
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Disclaimer:
I'm not affiliated to the clinic, and this is not a sponsored post. Just sharing my experience and two cents.
I'm also not a medical professional so questions of that nature should be directed to your doctor instead! :)
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Read the whole ICL series:
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