My Journey with LASIK – Thomas Eye Group

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



This is a sponsored post, based on my experience with Thomas Eye Group. In exchange for this post, I received a form of compensation; however, all opinions are mine.  Please note, this is MY personal experience with LASIK.  I am not a doctor, nor any sort of expert of LASIK procedures or anything concerning one’s eye health.  I am sharing my experience to help educate others about the options available to them.  Your experience(s) may vary from mine.

DitchingTheGlasses with Thomas Eye Group

About five years ago, I finally got around to making an appointment with a LASIK chain, to get a consultation and to find out more about having the procedure.  By the time the appointment came around, I was pretty certain I would have to put it off.  Later that evening, after my consultation, my suspicions were confirmed: I was pregnant.

PreggoStick

Fast forward five years, two kids, two (or three?) pairs of glasses, and dozens of pairs of contacts later: I was more than ready to ditch the glasses, and revisit LASIK surgery.

Shopping Around

As with anything major I set out to do, I wanted to shop around, not only for price, but for quality and peace of mind.  I ruled out the chains that *just* did LASIK.  For me, I decided I wanted an office that focused on the whole eye, to ensure nothing was overlooked, and to explore alternatives to LASIK, should the need arise.

So, I made two appointments back to back with two different eye centers.  Thomas Eye Group was first.  I was immediately pleased with my experience.  The staff was rather friendly and helpful, from greetings by the lovely ladies at the desk; to Jacqui – their LASIK coordinator – who provided me with all the information I needed regarding the procedure, answering many of my questions before I even had a chance to ask them, and providing me with pricing information; to Dr. Sari Gruber, who conducted my consultation examination and is also a LASIK success story herself.  During the course of my exam, it was noted that the cornea of my left eye was too steep.  (Oh, did I mention you’re supposed to go 3-5 days without your contacts before your appointment?  Did I also mention I had failed to do so?  Yeah, I should’ve listened better!)  So it was recommended that PKR surgery for my left eye may be an option, but we wouldn’t know until the day of the surgery.  LASIK would still be done on the right eye, regardless.  Price would not change, depending on what type of surgery — I liked the stability of that.

Thomas Eye Group general Collage

In terms of recovery, LASIK is the favorable option over PRK.  LASIK recovery time is a few days, where PRK may take a few weeks.  Each would require drops and other post-op care and follow-up; but “normal” vision occurs much more quickly with LASIK.  So, I certainly had my fingers crossed for LASIK, but would be happy with whatever would best suit my eye health.

Lo and behold, the next day, when I went to the other eye group for a consultation, I was again told I had steep corneas, and that PRK may be in the works for me.  Unlike at Thomas Eye Group, I was told they would do PRK on both eyes, if they did it on one.  I was baffled by their inability to offer a good explanation for this, even when I asked for clarification.  The cost for PRK was slightly less than the price I was quoted at Thomas Eye Group.  But I did not like not knowing which price I would be paying until the day of the surgery.  Thus, my decision was clenched: I was going to have Thomas Eye Group handle my LASIK experience.

Best. Decision. Ever.

 

LASIK Preparation
So for the next week or so, I stuck with my clunky ol’ glasses, and contacts were a thing of the past.  I confirmed my appointment about a week beforehand, and provided my pharmacy information so my prescriptions would be called in and ready to go after surgery.  I’m not a makeup person, so this wasn’t an issue for me; however, you should avoid eye make-up for at least two days before your procedure.  

On the day of the surgery, I came in bright and early in the morning, and was warmly greeted by the staff.  Within minutes, I was whisked away for a pre-op exam.  I honestly don’t remember all the technicalities here, except that 1) they needed to measure the steepness of my corneas, and 2) in order to perform LASIK, you have to have a “map” of the eye for the lasers to do what they do.  Dr. Jeffrey Carlisle introduced himself to me, and confirmed I would -indeed- be able to do LASIK in both eyes.

Thomas Eye Group Surgery Day

I will say, although the wait time felt super-long, it wasn’t — 20 minutes tops.  I was also given a dose of valium to relax.  (And when you’re about to have lasers come at your eyes, things to help you relax are a definite plus!)  Again, the entire staff was super-supportive, and kept my sprits up during the wait time.

Bring On the Lasers!

I was ushered in to the room for my procedure, and all aspects were carefully explained.  I was laying on the super-comfy fully reclined chair, and given a stuffed bear to hold.  And, yes, I gripped that poor bear a few times, just out of sheer nerves.  Dr. Carlisle -who was seated behind me during the procedure- began on my right eye, and honestly, it was but a few minutes before he declared it done.  Same with the left eye.  All was explained as it was happening, which proved reassuring.

Bam!  It was done.  I was helped up from the table, and asked to look at the clock across the room.  Imagine my excitement when I could read it with NO assistance!

Thomas Eye Group PostOpDrCarlisle

Post-Op Recovery

Soon thereafter, the water works started.  My eyes simply couldn’t handle the light nor the dryness.  So tissues galore were in order.  This is all to be expected.  I came home, took my allotted drops (4 different kinds) and just slept.  It actually took me a while to comfortably fall asleep because it felt a bit like there was a grain of sand on my eyes – neither blinking nor keeping them open nor keeping them shut seemed to help.  But then, ……I slept.  I’d only intended to sleep for a few hours, since my parents were watching my kids that morning.  But the next thing I knew, it was 4 in the afternoon!

My mantra for that entire day was simple: this is temporary.  The grainy feeling was temporary.  The endless pool of uncontrollable tears was temporary.  The blurry vision was temporary.  The sensitivity to light was temporary.  The inability to open my eyes for an extended time was temporary.

The following day, my husband helped load the kids in to the van, and drove me to my follow-up appointment.  Dr. Gruber looked me over, and gave me the green light to drive, and resume most of my normal activities.  However, I was not to swim for about two more weeks; I had to take care not to rub my eyes for another week, nor wear eye makeup during that time, and I was to continue wearing my eye shields at night, to help protect my eyes while I sleep.

Getting Better All the Time

Over the course of the next few weeks, I kept up my routine with my eye drops, as outlined in my post-LASIK packet.  I continue to use drops as needed when they feel dry, and keep them in the refrigerator for added comfort.  I came back a week later for my one-week post-op check, again hearing from Dr. Gruber that all looked well.  I continue to use sunglasses, as I still find light proves too much at times, especially being out and about with my kids during the day.

My eyes would become tired by the end of the day.  Dr. Gruber and Dr. Carlisle both assured me this is common, and goes away over time.  I’ve gotten in the habit of laying down and closing my eyes with my daughter when she naps.  But at age four, naps are rather hit or miss.  So when she doesn’t nap, those are the days when my eyes would just tire out around dinner time.  Thankfully, that fatigue has also dissipated greatly as well.

Old habits are rather hard to break, I find, as I continued to want to reach for my glasses when I had to get out of bed.  Slowly, that urge is going away.  My bathroom counter is less cluttered, with the absence of my glasses case, contacts case, saline solution, and weekly cleaning solution.

And the FREEDOM that has come with ditching the glasses is amazing!  I no longer need to plan ahead if I wish to swim laps when I take my kids to the pool, nor worry about getting splashed and having my contacts fall out.  And with two young kids, how I’d POSSIBLY drive home sans contacts!

I am quite grateful for the care I received at Thomas Eye Group, and would highly recommend them to anyone wishing to learn more about LASIK, and if it’s the right option for them.  The only regret I have is not doing this sooner.

About Thomas Eye Group

Founded in 1974, Thomas Eye Group has served the greater Atlanta community by providing eye care services to patients ranging in age from infants to seniors. Thomas Eye Group is a full service eye care provider with offices in nine locations in and around the greater Atlanta area providing routine eye exams, glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, as well as medical, surgical and cosmetic services —  AND, they are in the process of opening a new Sandy Springs location soon!  Additionally, Thomas Eye Group is active in social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

LASIK at Thomas Eye Group:

Thomas Eye Group is one of the pioneers of refractive surgery in Atlanta, and has performed laser vision correction procedures since 1990. Dr. Carlisle uses the most precise, advanced LASIK technology in Atlanta to perform the 100% Blade-Free LASIK procedure.

How to schedule a LASIK consultation:

Call 855-ATL-LASIK or click: here

You can also check out my cheesy testimonial (and hear my son’s excitement) here, and then go look at all the other awesome testimonials about Thomas Eye Group:

This is a sponsored post, based on my experience with Thomas Eye Group. In exchange for this post, I received a form of compensation; however, all opinions are mine.

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep – book review

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



**I am participating in a book review campaign with One2One Network for Harvey Karp’s The Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep. I received this book from Harper Collins for the purposes of reviewing it, and have not received compensation.  All opinions stated are my own.**

 Sleeping Baby

Sleep.  For parents with little ones, it’s an enigmatic concept that seems forever out of our grasp, particularly in those first few months.  Yet, some parents and their young children struggle with sleep issues for years to come, seeing little to no relief in sight.  With lack of sleep comes countless consequences for the entire family:  it plays an important role in our ability to concentrate, as well as aids in metabolic processes as well — just to name a few.  For new mothers, sleep deprivation can also contribute to postpartum depression.

With parenthood comes a whole new outlook on sleep.  You want your children to sleep.  More importantly, YOU want a good night’s sleep!  And yet, it’s a concept that seems so firmly *just* outside your reach!

Especially in those first few weeks, where newborns ability to sleep for long stretches make quality sleep seem almost laughable, it’s important to be armed with the right tools, and the right information.  Doing a quick Google search for books intended to guide parents of newborns with sleep issues yields an overwhelming response, along with countless mixed messages and conflicting suggestions to help with this most-troubling issue.

Enter: Harvey Karp.  You may recognize the name for The Happiest Baby on the Block and  The Happiest Toddler on the Block.  Now he ‘s created an entire book dedicated to what new parents crave most: a trip to slumberland!  The Happiest Baby: Guide to Great Sleep is now available in paperback, and I recently had the chance to review the book.

Happiest Baby Guide to Great Sleep - book cover

Here is my disclaimer: for the most part, my kids have been good sleepers.  My daughter (now 4) and my son (15 months) began sleeping “through the night” after around 4-6 weeks.  My son, in fact, is a champ — he LOVES to the land of nod.  If lunch comes too late, he’ll lay his little noggin on his high chair tray and simply declare “night night”.  I digress.  My kids were not without their own unique night-time issues.  Each have had their bouts of rough sleeping, or rough getting-to-sleep patches.

Were I able to draw on the solutions from Guide to Great Sleep, my life may have been a little easier, perhaps a little saner during those rough patches.  What Harvey Karp’s provides is sleep solutions for children, from birth to age five.  In his latest book, Karp tackles:

  • How to train brand new babies to sleep better: Infants can be taught to sleep at least one extra hour from the first weeks of life! Dr. Karp shows how to safely boost baby sleep in just days.
  • What’s the best white noise (and which ones worsen sleep): The right white noise (low pitched and rumbling) is the key to good sleep—even through teething—for all babies. Plus, it even gives parents a more restful sleep.  I found this particularly  helpful with getting my son to sleep well in those first few weeks.
  • Why parents should always wake a sleeping baby: For good sleep, babies must learn how to self-soothe. The best way to teach babies how to fall back to sleep—when they rouse in the middle of the night—is to wake them just as they’re being put into bed.  And I’ll admit, this was a mistake I made with my daughter, but corrected with my son.  She was nursed to sleep every night for about six or seven months, which lead to me being SOLELY tied to getting her back to sleep if she awoke.  Which she did.
  • How to enjoy the benefits – and avoid the risks – of swaddling: Swaddling dramatically improves a new baby’s sleep. Yet, many states are shockingly banning this ancient parenting tool. Smart moms should do it and Dr. Karp will teach them how to do it properly and safely.  With swaddling, I simply have to giggle: my daughter was too wiggly even on day one to be swaddled.  The nurses at the hospital could not pick her jaw off the floor, seeing how quickly my little squirmy-wormy got herself out of that baby burrito.  Yet my son LOVED to be swaddled.  I, in fact, invested in some larger-size swaddlers, to allow him to do so through about six or seven months.  (Remember, my son is the kid who loves to sleep!)  You can read more about his stance on swaddling here, and his reaction to the ban on swaddling in some states here.
  • The importance of powering down: Staring at bright screens at night (TVs, computers, phones) can wreak a toddler and a parent’s sleep.  (Whoops!  When else would I get my blogging done?)
  • Easy “no-cry” tips that end infant and toddler bedtime struggles in just days!

With The Happiest Baby Guide to Sleep, no longer will new parent have to suffer months of sleep deprivation and no longer will babies have to cry themselves to sleep. Backed by compelling science, common sense and decades of experience, Dr. Karp’s landmark guide will revolutionize how millions of children drift off to dreamland.

You can purchase The Happiest Baby Guide to Sleep in paperback or for your Kindle, and also explore Harvey Karp’s other works here — or click no the widget below for further details.

 

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40: The Most Comfortable Rear-Facing Car Seat EVER!

**This post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**



A few years ago, momentum began to build for the case of keeping your child rear-facing for longer than the recommended one year.  So, last year when the American Academy of Pediatrics officially updated their stance, recommending rear-facing car seats at least until the age of two, with the idea that toddlers are more than five times safer when rear-facing.

Naturally, many parents glanced at their kids and then glanced at their infant carriers, scratching their heads at how on earth they would be able to adhere to these new guidelines — after all, their child was already crammed in there, legs squished between the carrier and the seat.

Enter: the Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40!

Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40

Comes in two designs: Mena (left) and Moonstruck (right)
Thanks, Krystyn of Really, Are You Serious for sharing this pic!

I had the opportunity to meet with about a dozen other Atlanta area mom bloggers, and we got an up-close look at this innovative car seat.  Some of its key features, allowing it to stand apart from other infant car seats currently on the market include:

  • simple “click” technology, allowing for super-easy, yet secure, transfer from car to stroller
  • accommodates 4 to 40 lbs rear facing — that’s a full two years for most infants/toddlers
  • 8 reclining positions to adjust for growing legs, and with more leg room the child sits up more, like a forward-facing seat
  • a foot rest/kick plate (with actual feet on it!) to keep your vehicle’s seat safe from busy feet (see pic below)
  • an easy, peasy harness adjustment mechanism: one swift move allows for easy adjustment — no more pulling the back of the car seat apart!
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
Look at the cute little feet!!
Photo courtesy of Really, Are You Serious
Y’all, I’m not kidding when I say, this car seat is super-cool, rocks-my-socks awesome!  And I don’t normally get excited about a car seat.  Honestly.  Your child will GROW with this car seat comfortably, and you will have the piece of mind in it’s safety for the full two years.
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
Here I am, pondering the seat…
The Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 is available exclusively at Babies R Us for $219.99 — and additional bases and the “matching” stroller are also available.  Utilize a 20% off coupon, and you can snag this car seat for $176!
 
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40
In spite of my shear enthusiam,
my son was not impressed by the whole ordeal…  ;o)
Looking for a super-cute way to keep your baby warm, while in the super-cute Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40?  You can get a FREE car seat canopy (just pay shipping) here, and use promo code ENBABY.
Graco® SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40

The Graco SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 – the first and only newborn to two-year infant car seat that actually grows with your baby from four pounds all the way up to 40 pounds. The car seat is designed for a parent on the go. The infant car seat can be easily removed from the base and used as a carrier when the infant is small, providing portability and convenience so you can easily move your infant in and out of the car without disturbing them.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently made the recommendation to keep all children in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. Graco set out to make this product so parents can keep infants rear facing longer while still keeping them comfortable.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

Keep on saving!  :o)
--Barbara

**Remember, y'all, this post may contain affiliate links. I receive a small amount of compensation when you purchase from my links, which I"ll totally blow on waffle fries and sweet tea, y'all!**

Atlanta's Frugal Mom is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. In other words, if you click through to Amazon from some of the books or products I recommend and make a purchase, I get a small percentage in exchange for your purchase. It's a small way you can support AFM.