Not sure whether I should put this in cycling related or not. One of the reasons I'm doing it is so I don't have the hassle of glasses and I can wear sunglasses when I ride.

Anyway, after much deliberation, I am going 'under the laser' today, in about an hour and a half. I have a very high prescription (-12) so I was not a good candidate for LASIK. Instead I will be getting PRK which is just as effective but has a longer healing time (3-5 days). The only real difference is that with LASIK, they actually cut a flap in the epithelium layer, use the laser to reshape the cornea, and then put the flap back in place. With PRK, they must remove the entire layer completely to gain a greater surface area to use the laser. It then takes about 5 days for that layer to grow back, and during that time, I will wear a special contact lens to protect it. There will be some 'discomfort' (don't you just love that word) primarily on the 3rd and 4th day. Listen for my whining on Friday I guess.

It will take several months for my vision to stabilize and at that time, they will be able to determine if I need a second 'enhancement' surgery to fine tune my vision acuity. I've decided to go for monovision which means they will slightly undercorrect my non-dominant eye so I can read and see long distances. That can take up to a month or more to get used to.

I am very confident about the procedure and I'm not worried about the pain or about any problems but, as I was writing on the OTA thread, I am experiencing all sorts of unexpected, weird emotional issues about the loss of my bad vision! Having bad vision is a big part of who I am - it's been a big part of my life for 40 years. I am feeling overwhelmed with the idea that I will be able to walk around and see clearly without glasses!! I was watching a Youtube video of a woman getting treatment the other day and really identified with her reaction to looking around the room immediately afterwards. It brought tears to my eyes to see her amazement and disbelief.

I realize lots of people go through this surgery all the time and I have no idea if they feel the same way I do, but maybe that aspect is more impactful because I'm older and have lived with these bad eyes for such a long time.

Who knows. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on how it goes, assuming I can handle looking at a computer screen later on today. If not, you may not hear from me again before the weekend.

Biggest downside - no swimming for two weeks, and probably no biking or running or workouts at the gym for the rest of the week....