To go hand in hand with my background as a football referee, I have very poor eyesight! In my case, I am very long sighted with astigmatism - prescription is +8.00 and +8.50! I've considered eye surgery for some time now. I initially looked into in in 2010 but other priorities meant it didn't go further than an initial assessment. My prescription excluded me from laser treatment and so the option was lens replacement. People have asked me what exactly that means - I guess the thought of what is actually is doesn't equate to thinking it can actually happen and be a routine procedure. Quite simply, the natural lens is removed from the eye and replaced with an artificial lens. While scanning over Facebook in early March, I noticed an advert for laser treatment. Something in me decided it was time to enquire again and so I booked an appointment for the following Saturday, 13 March. There was nothing particularly of note as the assessment. Much of it was carrying out tests which are usually done during an eye test and check up. Dilation of the pupils was probably the exception and meant I was unable to drive home. After discussing the results with the optometrist, I decided to go ahead and book an appointment. Wednesday 14 April was the date for a new eyesight. In between, there was a telephone call to be had with a consultant 11 days before surgery. This was to step through what was planned, and of course to make sure I had the paperwork to sign with all the disclaimers! It was also an opportunity for me to ask any questions. Finally, I was told I must not wear contact lenses beyond Tuesday 6 April. Surgery day soon came around and anticipated nervousness hadn't happened. I felt very calm about the procedure ahead. I arrived early for my 9:30am appointment, having been told to expect to be in the centre for around 3 hours.
During the initial assessment, a multifocul lens was concluded as the best option. However, the optometrist was concerned this may not necessarily be best for me. He explained that my eyes were smaller than a normal sized eye. He also explained that with the multifocul lens, I could get excellent reading vision but distance may not be clear, and could be a little blurred which would mean I would possibly need some glasses correction. A monoclonal would give me good distance and intermediate vision, but may leave me needing reading glasses. We discussed the sorts of things I do - working on a screen, running, cycling, football, swimming, occasional reading books but not much. This made the sensible decision to go with a monofocal lens. I could live with needing reading glasses - they would be fairly weak compared to anything I'd worn over many years. The next discussion was with the surgeon. Again, he stepped through the possible outcomes of both lenses but the same conclusion was reached and so it was monofocals. Then it was back to the waiting room to be called. One of the theatre nurses came by to introduce herself. She also gave me a surgical net to wear on my head. My vision wasn't great at this point because of my pupils being dilated fully but I was able to see sufficiently well to be able to get myself around unaided other than my glasses. Finally, it was time to head to theatre. For the first time, I was a little apprehensive but still not overly nervous. The theatre nurse gave me a new face covering and put the hair net on me. She escorted me the a room adjacent to the theatre and I waited for the final preparation to be done. A few minutes later, I was taken into theatre and shown to the bed where the procedure would take place. I lay down and awaited the surgeon's appearance. In the meantime, theatre nurses explained their activity and applied a drape, completely covering my right eye while leaving the left exposed for the surgeon and stuck open. Before he started, I was told that if I needed to move at any point, I needed to say before doing it - makes sense but still good to be reminded. The surgeon pulled down a light consisting of two bright white dots. I was told to keep looking st the dots. The next phase was a bit weird to put it mildly. I couldn't really see the surgeon, or what he was doing, although I knew what he needed to do and also that he was doing it. In my mind at this point was that my natural lens was about to be removed, and what would I see as it came out. I could feel my hands becoming tense, a sort of mild fear going through me, but each time I realised this was happening, I was able to tell myself to relax a little and to follow through on it. At one point, I felt I needed to blink and so warned the surgeon. "Blink if you need to, it's fine. It won't work." Obvious really, my eye was stuck open by the drape. I can't say I know exactly when the lens came out but I can say when the new one was in place as the white dots suddenly went large. Throughout, there was what seemed constant anaesthetic drops coming into my eye, and in no time at all, that was it! All done. The drape was removed meaning I could now blink again, and a solid plastic protector lens was placed over my left eye. After the procedure was repeated on my rightbeye, I was asked to gently sit up, before stepping down and walking back to the recovery room with another of the theatre nurses. My vision seemed great although still a little weird. A combination of dilated pupils, the plastic protectors containing ventilation holes, and the new lens starting its bedding in process. The vision itself was a little watery, especially at the edge of the new lenses - there was a clear ring in my vision which was a little unnerving but I also realised there was a healing process about to start. The nurse then explained the medication to me: Antibiotic drops - one drop in each eye four times a day for 14 days; Anti-inflamatory drops - one drop four times a day for 14 days, followed by three times a day for the next 14 days. The immediate downsides then came. No running for a week. No cycling or swimming for two weeks. No driving for now at least. My first follow up the next day went well. The optometrist was pleased with what he saw with my eyes healing. My sight was tested and I was comfortably above the minimum driving standard, and my near vision was good too, a little unexpected so a bonus. I returned to work the following Monday and although mybeyes were a little watery still, my vision was fine. I went for my first drive that evening, assisted of course just in case. This took place when the sun was lower as I was hoping to drive the following evening when I hoped to run. I was expecting halos in the sunlight but none came. The drive was fine. I went for a run the following evening and again there were no problems, either during the run or afterwards driving home - the halos I had been warned about from other car headlights didn't happen. So that's it for now. As I write this ten days after surgery, things continue to improve. The watery eyes are now fairly normal although there is a little flickering sometimes for close up vision - not a problem though. My left eye is great - so clear. My right eye is a little fuzzy and I reported this during my one week on telephone consultation. I was advised as the eyes are still settling that I shouldn't worry at this point and that I should proceed to arrange my one month check up which is a face to face appointment. In general, with both eyes working together, my vision is great.
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2020 was a year of irregular running, if any running at all for some periods. So come 2021, I decided I needed to try to get some routine. Having started well through January and February, I'd become lazy again in March, and so with clubs runs allowed to take place from 29 March, I wanted to use them to help with routine.
I'd completed my first run on Tueaday and wanted to take advantage of the Good Friday groups. A couple of groups which may have suited me were right on the cusp of where I see my current level, and so rather than risk holding them up, I opted for a group offering slowest runner pace. When I first started running, I thought it was all about running in the fastest group possible every time, but I subsequently found that slower groups also have their benefits - time on feet, fat burn, and more relaxed. Today's group certainly met those objectives and it was with a friendly group with a good sense of humour. I'm not usually a chatty runner but today's group lent itself to that. Today was a casual venture into High Elms. I'd never really been a fan of trail running until recently and so although I hadn't expected to be off road, I wasn't a disappointment to find that's where we were head. There were plenty of stops or walks, mainly to allow others in the park to pass, bit it didn't detract from enjoying the surroundings. After a few ups and downs, we finished with a short detour adding in a final hill up towards Farnborough before returning downhill to our start point. Overall distance was 4.63 miles at an average of 13:29 per mile. I'd considered I might add some miles by running part way home. The end point was simply whatever place I became tired. So a brief walk back to the A21 and then see where I'd reach my limit. The A21 is a mental test more than anything, a long drag which can feel like it's never ending. A few months ago, I'd have struggled with the mental element but I've started to get through that more recently. The route is also a little undulating and so although I still felt relatively fresh after my earlier group run, there was still an element of the unknown for the home run. As I approach Norman Park, I had a choice - cut through the park or take the longer route on pavement. I was beginning to feel tired and so I opted for the shorter route. A check of the watch as I entered the park and I decided the opposite corner or 6Km would be my finish, whichever occurred last. 3.8 miles (6.1Km) was the final distance at an average pace of 9:40 per mile - very happy with that. Overall miles for today was 8.43. |
ABOUT MEHaving completed 5 marathons between 1999 and 2016, I decided this year, I would try to do it properly and plan my training! Alongside, I wanted to keep a blog as it went along, partly to look back on, and partly to help anyone else who may benefit from my own experiences. Archives
November 2023
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