I had it done in 2001. My vision was then and still is perfect. Not having to deal with the pain of contacts (I always had problems with mine) or bothersome glasses is wonderful!
However, I had complications. My face is the one place no one can touch (with the exception of my husband) without me freaking out. I do not like anyone near my face, ever. My uncle was my optometrist when I was little and he taught me to do a lot of my annual testing myself because I flipped out so badly.
Anyway, he passed away when I was in my early teens and I had a heck of a time finding another opt that would let me do the testing with them watching. I finally just gave up and wore my glasses all the time even though I really hated them.
When I was working at the sheriff's office they had an insurance program that would pay 100% of the cost if you paid up front. They're reimburse you fully. Couldn't pass that up. So I made my appointment and went in. The opt there let me do as much testing as I could on my own, but there were some that they had to do. I managed to get through it though.
They assured me that they'd give me enough Valium to take down a horse on the day of the procedure. They told me to take a pill on the way in and another when I got to the office.
Now, I don't even take Tylenol unless I'm on my death bed. I hate any medication, so when I do take something it hits me hard. That morning as instructed, after working all night and being so tired I could barely move, I took a pill. My SO at the time drove me in. I got panicky half way there as I didn't feel it working. Got to the office, took the other and half an hour later, still nothing. They took me in the back and I was flipping out big time. They had me take another and wait an hour; still nothing. They gave me another and waited another hour and still nothing. I had the option of just not going through with it, but because of the program since I had already paid I wouldn't be refunded. $3000 down the drain.
I couldn't waste that kind of money. They assured me that they put drops in your eyes that completely numb them so I wouldn't feel any pain. Since I'd worked all night and been up all day - it was early afternoon this time and I'd been awake 24 hours already - that I'd go home and fall asleep and sleep right through the worst of it.
So, I did go through with it and it was hard!!!! Half way through I could smell my eye burning from the laser and started to gag. They kept telling me to breath through my mouth so I wouldn't smell it. I did manage to get through and go home. I zonked out when I got there but woke up in agony half an hour later. I took pain meds and a glass of wine. No relief. I took some Nyquil, still no relief, no sleep. I was begging my SO by this time to call in sick and take me to the ER. He said he couldn't and I'd be fine. Nice guy, eh?
So off he goes to work leaving me in agony I've never felt before and sobbing hysterically. I called my mom and she sent my sister to get me. I wound up taking a total of 5 Extra Strength Tylenol, 3 glasses of wine (I also don't ever drink and a quarter of a wine cooler leaves me blitzed for the night), and 3 doses of Nyquil before I had enough in me to put me to sleep. But when I finally went out, I went out.
My mom said my father spent the night at my bedside checking me constantly to make sure I was breathing. I was out for 16 hours. When I woke up it felt like I had sand in my eyes. Annoying, but not painful. Within a couple days that was gone though. Even though the pain was crazy excrutiating, I did have perfect sight as soon as the procedure was done. What a time to learn your body has no effect at all to Valium, eh??