LASIK, Should Eye? (A Mom's Guide to LASIK)

Pin It

When I was 16, I failed my driving test.  Because of my eyesight, not my stupendous driving skills, mind you.  I couldn't see.  And I didn't even realize it.  Once I put glasses on, everything suddenly became clearer - imagine that.

Back when I was younger, contacts were the bomb.  I started wearing them soon after I had gotten glasses - it wasn't cool to wear glasses your Junior year of High School (or so I thought).

As I got older, my eyes didn't seem to take to wearing contacts anymore and I gradually began to wear glasses permanently.  Black, cat-eye framed glasses was my signature piece in my business suit ensemble.  And even though I worked out of my car (pharmaceutical sales) in the hot Texas sun, I didn't seem to mind squinting all day.  Though I do very much mind the 3 very large lines across my forehead as a result of all that squinting now.

One by one, friends and relatives began to have LASIK eye surgery and all loved it. "The best thing I have EVER done for myself!" resonated with me.  Having worn glasses for well over half my life at this point, it was time to check into having LASIK myself.

With many options to have LASIK done here in Austin and many opinions on who to see, I scheduled a few consultations. The consultation is a basic eye exam to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure.  And the nice thing, the consultation is complimentary.  It was easy peasy.  And I was all ready to go as I walked out of the office.

When I got home, the internal battle raged.  How could I allow someone to cut my eyes?  What if I lose my vision?  I look better in glasses anyways.  How on earth can I justify spending the money on myself when I have 3 children to care for? and on....and on.....

As a mother, we tend to think of ourselves last.  And in this case, I put off doing something I really wanted because I didn't think my needs or wants were as important as my families'.   And so I trudged on, squinting on the boat in the summer, pushing my sweaty glasses up my nose as I ran, and putting makeup on an inch from the mirror.  I could sacrifice, I told myself.

This summer, something changed.  I got fed up.  I was sick of my glasses for one.  And I wanted to do something for myself.  Having LASIK wasn't about improving my looks.  It wasn't about not squinting in the sun (thought that was a MAJOR bonus!).  I was about doing something for me. 

As a mom, you are constantly thinking of others.  From the moment my day starts and I am getting kids ready for school til my head hits the pillow (and I just finished folding your last load of laundry), my day is focused on their needs.  It's exhausting.  I wanted to do something for me.  Something that would   internally feel completely decadent and rewarding.  So, I did it for me.

Is that selfish?  nah.  Everyone has their own individual reasons to have LASIK done.  I was never scared of the procedure.  I wasn't concerned that my sight would get worse.  And I wasn't doing it because I didn't like the way I looked it glasses.  I just did it for me.

Come back tomorrow to hear more about my journey to better eyesight and my LASIK experience. 

This is a series of sponsored posts by Advanced Eye Care and Surgery and Eye LASIK Austin.  All opinions are my own.