| d a n i e l m c k i n n o n . c o m | |
| Thursday January 12, 2006 I had my evaluation/consultation today and got to meet Dr. Boxer Wachler and the rest of his staff over 5 months since originally contacting their office about the IOL/ICL procedure. I had had the same tests done at Mass Eye & Ear back in August and they were re-examined by Dr. Sam Melki who both thought I was a good candidate for the IOL treatment. Going into the consultation I didn't think there would be any red flags with me being a good patient, but I kept my hopes to a reasonable level as I have with this whole experience. Cutting to the chase, Dr. Boxer Wachler let me know that due to a maximum pupil size of 8mm, I might have some issues if I went forward with this surgery. The IOL Verisyse lens has a diameter of 6mm, and when my pupil will expand past the size of the lens, I might experience halos, starbursts, and the like. For some patients this is a minor problem where it's more an annoyance that takes time to get used to, for others it can be an unbearable side effect that many LASIK patients have to deal with every day. Dr. Boxer Wachler told me of an Artisan lens that wasn't FDA approved yet that might be able to deal with such issues better, but this was no 100% solution to the problem either. I had to take another leap of faith. I asked the surgeon if he felt it was such an issue that he wouldn't do the procedure, but he said no, he would still perform the surgery, he just wanted it to be clear that the results I get might not be everything I had hoped for, or possibly very unpleasant. He reiterated what Dr. Kormehl said that I was not a LASIK candidate, and if the surgery I wanted was LASIK, he wouldn't do the procedure. Quickly weighing the pros and cons in my head (and also keeping in mind that there were treatments for this side effect as well - pupil-reducing drops, glasses for night driving, or removal of the IOL lenses), I decided to still go forth with the surgery. I had come too far to let something like this stop me at this point. Even if I had problems at night when my pupils were fully dilated, I decided to gamble and put my fate in the hands of my doctor. I realized very quickly that I had made the right decision coming out to LA no matter what the outcome. The moment that Dr. Boxer Wachler entered the room to greet me, I could feel he had a presence about him. I instantly felt like a VIP myself just being able to be treated by this super surgeon, no doubt one of the best of the world in his craft (the awards and accolations all over his office only add to the aura that he exudes just being in his presence). My surgery is still on, now I just to cross my fingers and hope for the best. |