This text is for people interested in the LASIK surgery, particularly those living in China, and debating whether it is safe to have it done here.

In early 2005 I had a LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis) operation to correct my quite strong myopia (short-sightedness). After much deliberation, reading on-line information, talking to friends, etc., I decided to have it done in China.
Many people I know, as well as members of Internet forums, expressed strong objections to this idea, usually concerned about the safety and results of doing it here, the sanitary conditions, the level of expertise that the local doctors possess, etc.
Having researched the subject however, and in light of the fact that I know people who live/d in China who had liposuction done, gave birth, had post-accident emergency surgeries, also knowing that this procedure is quite popular in China and doctors definitely have more experience than in, say, Poland, if only because of the number of performed operations, I decided to go ahead.
A friend helped with finding the names and addresses of some hospitals, as well as prices, I finally settled on Con-Bio Laser and Plastic Surgery Hospital.
Here is how it went:
Before the operation I had two eye exams to determine what shape my eyes were in, and
whether I was a good candidate for the surgery. There is a number of conditions, that could disqualify me, so that's what it was about. I had a full-on exam, including the bottom of the eye scan, glaucoma test, internal eye pressure test (I'm not sure here, maybe its the same), tests for any internal aberrations, etc., etc., etc.
All was well, both my eyes were in good shape and 'good for the surgery'. I had a talk with the doctor, he told me about the benefits, risks, possible complications, the operation itself, follow-up, etc. I knew all that from the Internet, but it felt good that they talked about it too.
I signed the 'informed consent form', paid (5613.4 yuan - 678.23 USD), and was told to come on Saturday at 7pm, bring someone to accompany me, and take it easy, rest, and sleep properly the night before.
All day Saturday I stayed at home, I felt a little anxious, after all I was about to have my eyes cut open with a scalpel, but once I got into the taxi I sort of relaxed, or maybe simply resigned myself.
My friend Jamie (thanks, buddy) went with me, the hospital insisted on me having someone with me there.
When we got there, there were about 20 people waiting, I wasn't expecting a crowd so I was a little put off (of course the presence of two foreigners caused quite a stir), but then a young guy, an anaesthesiologist from the hospital came to me to explain a few things. I learned that half of these people were there for the operation too, the other half were as company, that calmed me more - I mean, so many people going through the same.
The guy told me again about what the procedure would look like, what I should do and not do afterwards. After maybe 10-15 minutes a door opened, I was next. I walked into a 'preparation room' had to dress in a green gown tied at the back, had a cap placed on my head, and plastic covers put on my shoes. I waited a bit, then was asked to go to the next room. A nurse washed my face, cleaned and desensitised my eyes, then I had to wait some more.
Another door opened, another nurse said please come in, sit down here. I was in the 'operation room' already. The room was very cold, the walls seemed to be covered with some sort of metal, the lights were white - I was not allowed to wear my glasses any more, so all this was blurred.
A girl was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room, and someone was on the table. More eye drops, and it was my time to get on the table. It took awhile to position the table under the laser; I have to say I'm very impressed, the doctor (apparently the best and most famous in Shanghai, with more than 10,000 operation under his belt - but his voice was that of a 20 year old lad) started asking me, in very good English, how to spell my name, what I do in Shanghai, etc., etc., I suppose to calm and distract me.
Then the operation started, the doctor put something (called a suction cup) on my right eye, I could see, but not feel, a scalpel going through my eye, in a semicircle in the bottom half of the eye, where the iris touches the white (whatever the medical term is), then I could see the doctor 'scraping' or 'moving' something upwards (that was the image, I could not see properly and did not feel anything). I knew from the Internet that he was lifting the flap (that's the term) cut in the cornea. Then the laser started, first to scan, and then to actually do the work, the length of time it would work for, and the intensity, were already pre-programmed, based on the results of the pre-op check-ups.
Also as the Internet said I could feel a warm spot moving around, and could smell the smell of burning hair – both sensations are normal but not everyone feels/remembers them. A nurse somewhere to my right was saying '30 seconds... 20... 10, 9, 8, 7...,' during this the lights above my face were changing shape and colour, that was pretty interesting actually, there were three white bulbs there (for the doctors) and a single red one (this one was for me, to focus my eyes on, so that I was not moving them when the laser was on), but during the laser's operation they were becoming (that's how it felt) black. It was interesting but I had to remind myself to stay focused and look straight up and not let my mind wander.
Then the laser stopped, I could feel the doctor pushing and sort of 'painting' something back on, the motion was that of a paintbrush, applying new layers of paint, the movement was from top to bottom of my eye.
Then the doctor said - the right eye is finished.
The same followed for the left one, then I was asked to sit up slowly and gently, sit down in the corner. More eye drops, after a while I was led to a machine in a different corner, the doctor looked at my eyes, said, very nice, you can go.
I was back in the changing room, my face was cleaned again, more eye drops, the nurse put plastic protective goggles on my eyes, and I was back in the waiting room, they called Jamie and we were free to go.
We were in and out of the building in 58 minutes.
When I got home my eyes started burning like hell and tears were streaming down my face, it felt as if I were crying, it was pretty painful for a while, but stopped fast.
The following morning when I got up the burning stopped, my eyes just itched a little.
For a few days they were sensitive to light, the vision was hazy (like there was a very faint mist in the air) and a little blurry. For a few weeks all three sensations fluctuated, sometimes I could see perfectly well, sometimes quite badly.
That was normal and to be expected, it stopped earlier than the doctors predicted. It is now two months exactly after the operation, there are still some side-effects, but only if I read or work on the computer too long.
The difference is amazing, for the first time in my life I could see (almost immediately after the operation) my face from more than just a few centimetres away, for the first time ever I could wear normal, non-prescription, sunglasses.
A friend asked me if I was sorry I hadn't had it done earlier. No, not at all, but I am 100% happy I did it.
It is worth it, there are risks of course, and there are people who suffer rather than get better, but in my case all is fine......
I threw my old prescription glasses away.
05.2005
Update
369 days after the operation I went to the hospital for the final check-up. Before the operation my eyes were: -6.5 dioptres (R), and -5 (L). A year after, they are now, approximately +0.25, the doctor said that this is perfectly normal, and within all norms, and that, in, fact, practically no one has a perfect 'zero' eyesight.
I underwent another round of checks, the sharpness, internal pressure, the bottom of the eye scan, etc., etc., etc. All is OK, there are no problems, unwanted or worrying results, or post-op changes.
Only one thing worries me a little, in the last few months I've been experiencing periods of pain, somewhere behind and above my right eye. I told the doctor about it, he said it was likely from working too much (like sitting in front of the computer, or reading too much - my work for the British Council, for instance, requires me, twice a month, to spend 7-8 hours doing some very intensive reading). I think he was right, lately I try not to spend as much time in front of the computer as I used to, when I'm doing IELTS I take ten-minute breaks every half hour, and these pains are now less frequent, and not as strong as they used to be.
So it seems that my LASIK was a full success...
The hospital's contact information::
Shanghai ConBio Laser and Plastic Surgery Hospital
Address:No.259,Xi-Kang Rd,Shanghai
Telephone:021-62895163, 62895165
06.2006