Prone to Fainting? Could Laser Eye Surgery Still Be an Option?
Despite being among the most popular elective procedures in the world, there are many reasons an indiviual may put off having Laser Eye Surgery. It might be down to timing, costs, or perhaps fear of something going wrong. In some cases, an existing health condition may temporarily or permanently prevent you from having treatment.
But what if you were to have a lifelong fainting habit? Could this stop you from enjoying the benefits of Laser Eye Surgery?
Well, in the case of then-32-year-old Katie from Potters Bar, such a circumstance wasn’t enough to stop her from going under the laser.
Nerves and Laser Eye Surgery
Of course, being nervous about having Laser Eye Surgery is a completely reasonable and normal response. For some people, the thought might even prompt a feeling of queasiness. After all, you are trusting someone (in control of high-tech lasers) with your eyesight – arguably one of our most precious assets.
But for Katie, the typical nerves of heading into an operating room were exacerbated by an inexplicable fainting condition. She had been known to black out from the smallest sign of injury, from stubbing her toe to trapping her finger in an umbrella.
According to Katie’s mother, Beryl, fainting spells would follow a period of feeling clammy and shivery before going rigid like a board. She had even found herself waking up in the A&E department of her local hospital after removing a staple from a sheaf of papers while at work as an admin manager.
With such a strong reaction to relatively minor occurrences, you might think that there was no way Katie could go ahead with Laser Eye Surgery. But that’s where you’d be wrong.
It turned out that Katie’s desire for clear, unobstructed vision was enough to outweigh her inconvenient fainting habit.
The Power of a Supportive Clinic
Katie deserves a huge amount of recognition for finding the courage to go ahead with her treatment. Of course, throughout the process, she was never alone. From her supportive friends and family, including her mother Beryl, to the friendly and knowledgeable staff at our Harley Street clinic, there was always someone there to offer moral support.
While Katie had long wanted to ditch the glasses she had worn since she was 17, it still took over a week to pluck up the courage to even watch a segment on ITV’s This Morning about Laser Eye Surgery. But this turned out to be all she needed to rekindle her dream of glasses-free sight.
Maybe she could have this life-changing treatment after all, especially if she had full faith in her chosen clinic:
“I would never have even considered going anywhere other than the London Vision Clinic.
“I was so excited about the possibility. For the first time, I was able to see a future without glasses. Although I was scared, I was more excited than frightened. It was the idea of being able to see without glasses – of being able to wake up in the morning and not find everything blurry – I knew that it would be a huge and wonderful change in my life.”
Facing Her Fears
During the procedure itself, Katie felt reassured by her surgeon’s (Professor Dan Reinstein) calming voice as he talked her through the whole process. And while there was a slight hiccup as she began to notice the warning signs of a fainting spell, a brief pause and a few sips of water helped to reset Katie’s composure.
Lo and behold, after just a few minutes, the procedure was complete! Not only was Katie delighted with the results of her Laser Eye Surgery, she was also proud of herself for getting through the treatment without fainting – and rightly so!
Katie’s Mum watched as her daughter walked out of the operating theatre. “She had the largest grin on her face that I have ever seen.”. And Katie confided that she felt as if she was walking on air.
“At King’s Cross, I was amazed to be able to look up at the board and see clearly which platform our train was on!”
A month on from her treatment, Katie was enjoying all the benefits of her new 20/20 vision. This was incredibly helpful for her many hobbies, which included an unlikely mixture of embroidery and motorbikes!
If you’d like to learn more about Laser Eye Surgery and your suitability, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today!
