Reporter's eyes measured thoroughly

Less than one week until my LASIK surgery, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bundle of nerves.

I had my pre-surgery appointment Monday at Boling's Mishawaka location, where all the necessary measurements of my eyes were taken. These results will make sure the laser is placed exactly where it needs to be to correct my vision.

A technician, Whitney Boling, walked me through the lengthy testing process. Her easy-going conversation made the almost 3-hour visit go by painlessly. As we moved from room to room, and my eyes were tested by a number of machines, Whitney impressed me by explaining what each test was for and how it fit into the overall LASIK procedure.

The first machine took pictures of each eye separately, creating an image similar to a topography map showing the surface features of an area.

"This gives the laser a good idea of where the eye needs to be corrected," Whitney said.

In the next room, sitting at the next machine called an auto refractor, Whitney explained it would provide the baseline of my prescription.

"Each machine after will double- and triple-check this," she said. "Then we'll do it manually. We want to make sure all the numbers match up and we have the most accurate prescription possible."

After that, we moved on to what I considered not only the most important, but the most interesting test of the day -- the WaveScan.

WaveScan creates a more detailed map of the eye than previously was available, measuring imperfections in the eye 25 times more precisely than methods used for glasses and contact lenses.

Before WaveScan, LASIK measurements were based only on the topography of the surface of the eye, explained Kathy Boling. Now, WaveScan technology can measure how the structures inside the eye bend light rays.

The WaveScan machine put microscopic beams of infrared light into 25 different points of first my right, then my left eye.

"This tells us the prescription at each point on the eye," Whitney explained.

During the LASIK procedure the laser registers itself 60 times a second, and if the prescription changes from point to point the laser can correct it, she said. This gives Boling the technology to provide the most accurate prescription throughout the entire eye.

Of all the measurements taken, the WaveScan results are the most critical.

"If anything is repeated on the day of surgery, this is it," Whitney said.

My eyes were given a short break from test while my brain was put to work. I watched a brief video outlining the LASIK procedure and potential risks, followed by a brief quiz.

The video and quiz are given at this point in the exam because reading or focusing on something up close can make the eye muscles work too hard, said Whitney. The strained eye muscles can then throw off the accuracy of the tests.

The final step in the pre-surgery exam was the traditional "better one or two" eye exam using an eye chart. This gives the staff at Boling the extra security that all the previous tests were accurate. Because eyes tend to strain too hard during a manual eye exam, I was given eye drops to dilate my eyes and relax the eye muscles. The manual test then was repeated.

Dr. Richard Boling II, who will be performing my LASIK on Friday, then examined my eyes. This was the first time I'd met the doctor and he said all my numbers looked good -- falling right where they should for a successful LASIK procedure.

I asked how many surgeries he's done and was shocked at the number. Dr. Boling was the first to bring this type of refractive surgery to the area in the '90s and has performed almost 9,000 surgeries.

"What sets us apart is that we have the very best people and the very best equipment," he said. Boling credited his staff who work around him during the LASIK procedures.

By watching the procedure from every angle, he said, the staff ensures everything around the patient is running smoothly.

As my LASIK day approaches, I am hoping for similar success on Friday.