I’m finally back! It’s been almost one month since I last talked about my ICL procedure at Lee Hung Ming Eye Centre. Here’s my experience – the following notes below are written as of the day itself.
Surgery day:
5.40am: The day is finally here! I’m getting ready to go to Gleneagles Hospital. Two days before, I was advised to use 2 separate eye drops to ensure my eyes were prepared for surgery. I used the eye drops as indicated (twice daily), there was no issue nor pain of any kind.
6.00am: Registered and checked in at the Gleneagles hospital. The administrative staff informed me about the day care ward, packages and inclusions. A standard routine but definitely a necessary one to ensure everything goes smoothly.
7.15am: I was assigned to a room and my surgery was to be the first one of that morning I was assigned to a bed next to the window (additional privacy and comfort, yay!) I had to change out into a surgical gown and keep all loose items/clothing in a designated locker provided. The nurses at Gleneagles Hospital were extremely friendly and hospitable throughout the procedure.
Don’t worry about lunch or if you’re hungry after the surgery as they have that prepared for you! You have a choice of porridge or sandwich, along with a nice hot cup of beverage.
7.45am: For me, time flew by quite fast. The waiting time depends on how quickly one’s eyes can be dilated to the desired range. The nurses on duty entered the room often to administer eye drops – around 4 to 8 times in both eyes (I definitely lost count halfway).
8.15am: Surgery time! To be honest, I was extremely nervous because it was my first time undergoing a procedure as critical as this. Thankfully, they allow you to bring someone along to accompany you throughout, right until they wheel you into the operating theatre room to administer the general anaesthesia. I also noticed that whenever I was wheeled from one point to another, the nurses consistently cross-checked my name and surgery I was going in for. I was quite pleased at their thorough checks and routines
11am: Fast-forward to after my surgery, I was just waking up from the general anaesthesia. I was still in a daze. I was so excited when I was wheeled back to the room and I was surprised that I could see without spectacles. It was like a miracle! I did not feel any pain but was really tired. I fell back to sleep within half an hour.
2pm: I was instructed to visit Dr. Lee back at the clinic for a same-day check-up. This was to monitor my eye pressure, check the degree of my eyes and discuss my progress. During the visit, I was given medication to lower my eye pressure and was prescribed antibiotics. It’s really important to follow the dosage and instructions religiously, as these medications help with the healing process.
From my understanding and Dr. Lee’s advice, most patients would notice significant improvement in their vision following the ICL procedure. Everyone heals differently therefore I believe that improvement in the vision will vary from individual to individual. I was very happy when Dr. Lee shared that I had almost perfect vision now, and he shared some eye care tips including avoiding direct sunlight, avoid any eye make-up, and also to keep the area around your eyes especially clean. He also advised us on some tell-tale signs of infections or complication – such as sharp pains, blurry or cloudy vision.
Going home: I was glad that my boyfriend, Keith, accompanied me home as I was still on medication and was a bit drowsy from the anaesthesia. For added comfort, I brought my sunglasses along to shield my eyes from any harsh sunlight.
2 Weeks later:
I went back day to visit Dr Lee and to thank the nurses that took great care of me while I was in the room. Mdm Norma is one of the great nurse who told me many jokes to calm me down before I went for the operation. Really grateful!
Post-Operative Consultations:
Following my ICL operation, I returned to Lee Hung Ming Eye Centre for a few routine post-operative consultations to monitor my recovery and make sure my eyes were all right.
So far so good! I will be going for my last post-op consult next month.
It was a wonderful experience to go through and I am thankful to have my loved ones giving me the fullest support. I feel so loved! I chose Dr Lee Hung Ming because he is a very patient doctor who answered all of the many questions I had! He is also a very experienced surgeon and I felt at ease having him perform my operation.
Stay tuned for my last post on how I feel after my recovery, I cannot wait too! 🙂
Lee Hung Ming Eye Centre
Gleneagles Hospital, Level 3 Hospital Block,
6A Napier Road, Singapore 258500
Tel: (65) 6470 3366
Email Address : contact@leehmeyecentre.com.sg
With lots of love,
Xue Wei
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