My Journey To Perfect Vision Via Shinagawa LASIK and Aesthetics Center

IT'S OFFICIAL! I am retiring my eye glasses! :)

I've been diagnosed with myopia or nearsightedness when I was in 3rd year high school (don't ask when exactly that was :p). For several years, I wore contact lenses but had to stop sometime in 2001 when my eyes started getting irritated every time I wear contacts. Upon consultation with an ophthalmologist, I found out that I developed a dent in one of my corneas and also acquired astigmatism. That was the end of contact lenses for me and I went back to wearing eye glasses.

Unfortunately, having myopia means I can't see clearly without my glasses so I have to wear them the whole day, every day. On instances when I do have to remove my glasses (e.g. while swimming or wearing shades), I would be like a blind person who doesn't recognize faces and can't read public transportation signboards at all.

with Dr. Dinglasan after the screening

I also hate it when my glasses would suddenly fog up when I exit an airconditioned vehicle or mall. I'd have to stop and wipe my glasses first before I continue on my way lest I bump into other people or a wall. Moreover, I often get unsightly dents on the bridge of my nose when I remove the glasses after wearing them for hours.

Thank goodness for the rapid developments in technology! Two weeks ago, I had my eyes screened at Shinagawa LASIK and Aesthetic Center located at The Enterprise Center in Makati City as a possible candidate for Advanced LASIK Surgery. The tests took more than two hours on high-tech machines but it was worth it. I passed!

I was given anesthesia eye drops so I didn't feel anything 

The actual procedure was done last week by Dr. Jaime Dinglasan, an ophthalmologist who is one of the pioneers of refractive laser surgery and who has already performed more than 15,000 LASIK procedures since 1995. I was impressed at how fast the laser surgery took. I was first prepped by two nurses with various eye drops including one that served as an anesthetic. Soon after, I was led to a room where the Intralase machine is. This equipment beams a laser on the eye to make a very thin cut on the top of the cornea to make a flap. 

Next, we transferred to another room where the Excimer laser machine is. It was there that my eyes received laser treatment one at a time to correct my vision. I was awake the whole time and never felt a thing. I just made sure I was very still and kept looking at the light that Doc Jaime told me to stare at.

In less than two minutes, it was over. One of the nurses gave me instructions about caring for my eyes when I get home. I received a kit containing three different kinds of eye drops (artificial tears, steroids, and antibiotic), pain reliever tablets, a pair of glasses I need to wear for one whole week, and eye shields that I should put on at night so I don't go rubbing my eyes accidentally while I'm asleep.

It was nice to hear Shinagawa's friendly staff members congratulating me about the successful operation. Of course, everything looked a bit blurred for the time being but I was assured that my vision would adjust in the next coming days. 

Hubby and I walked from The Enterprise Center towards EDSA via the Ayala Malls walkway. As the anesthesia started to wear off, my eyes became really sensitive to the bright lights of the malls so I had to walk with my head down and my eyes closed all the while holding on to hubby's arm for guidance.

some of the highly advanced eye screening equipment at Shinagawa

Upon reaching home, I immediately took one pain reliever tablet and slept in a vacant room with all the lights off. It was then I felt the slight discomfort in my eyes which was gone by the time I woke up in the morning. It was amazing to see my surroundings clearly without groping first for my eyeglasses! What bothered me a bit though was that it was still hard to read text messages on my cellphone so I didn't bother opening my laptop to check mails.

a few minutes after LASIK procedure, still a bit woozy :)

Hubby and I went back to Shinagawa that afternoon for the day-after-surgery consultation and I delightedly read all the small print on the billboards along the highway during our bus ride from Alabang to Makati. I found out later that, given my previous myopia, it would take time for my eyes to adjust reading small print "at near" even if my vision "at far" is already okay. After several tests, the optometrist declared I have 20/12 vision, much better than 20/20!

a demonstration on how the procedure would be done

Now, one week after the procedure, I could say that my eyesight has never been better and I deeply appreciate that I am no longer a slave to my eyeglasses. I can wear shades comfortably when it's sunny outside! I still experience blurry vision though when reading text messages and reading print on my laptop screen but, given my age (don't ask), I was told to give my eyes and brain time to get used to the new "environment".

So, will I recommend advanced LASIK to people who have eyesight problems? Definitely! Unlike before when doctors have to use a blade to make a flap on the cornea and the recovery time is slower, the procedure is now blade-less, quicker, and painless plus, the recovery time is really much faster! 

I also highly recommend that you have your LASIK treatment at Shinagawa because they have the most advanced and high-tech equipment you can possibly imagine. They also have some of the Philippines' best ophthalmologists to do the surgery. 

with Dr. Yeng Samson, the very efficient optometrist who did my eye screening

Visit the clinic to see it for yourself. It is located at Mezzanine Tower 2, The Enterprise Center, Ayala cor. Paseo Ave. Makati City. For inquiries, please call or text Ms. Gucci Sarmiento at 09173661161. You can also visit http://shinagawa.ph, call their hotline at (632) 491.000 or email inquiry@shinagawa.ph. Please also follow them on Twitter and like their page on Facebook to be updated about their promos and new offerings.

Speaking of promos, Shinagawa is giving 50% off on LASIK surgery if you and a friend/family member would undergo the procedure together! Individuals could also avail of a 30% discount on LASIK surgery. This offer is good until July 31, 2012 only. So hurry and explore the possibility of also getting back your 20/20 (or better!) vision soon!

* More pictures of Shinagawa, my screening and the actual procedure in the Shinagawa photo album in this blog's Facebook page. Thanks to my hubby (Nonoy of trailsunlimited.blogspot.com) for taking them :)