"Visit to the eye hospital"

This was an emergency that St peters couldn't fit me in so had to find some one to drive me to Ashford had been waiting 3 weeks for an emergency appointment but my GP said go to St Peters A & E but was told to go to Ashford. Waited in the waiting room and was called in by the Ophthalmologist. I was told to take a seat and he proceeded to view my left eye. He then said you have a tear in your retina and I need to laser it now. Oh, I was taken back a bit; nothing else was said by him except sign here for permission to use the laser. Wait outside and I will get the laser ready he said. I waited, and at this time I thought, Oh good, he will zap it and all will be back to normal. Nothing was explained to me. I was called back in within 5 mins. Sit here, look up, he said and anaesthetic drops were instilled (some ran down my cheek onto my lip) I expected these drops, but what I didn’t expect was the amount of times the laser was used. We all know the puffer test well it’s like that but being puffed at least a hundred times and it started to get painful behind the eye, I did flinch a bit. How many times? Over 50 - I was hurting now. Ok he said now go and sit for a bit outside and I will see you in six weeks. All I could see was pink out of my left eye and pleased it was over. At the desk there were three staff members, I said that it was all a big scary not knowing what’s happening. One said I wouldn’t know I haven’t had it done. I then felt my top lip go numb and a metallic taste in my mouth. I mentioned this to all three, but they denied it had anything to do with the laser. If you are unwell you had better go to the walk in clinic downstairs they said. I was fine before, it must be the laser I said in ignorance. One of the staff went to ask the Ophthalmologist and when she came back she informed me that he said everything is ok it must be you suffering anxiety. (They think that if you are over 60!) I was offended, and took my next appointment card and left. I walked down the corridor with my friend as we were deciding what to do next as she had to get back and the thought of waiting in a walk in clinic on a Friday afternoon when she had to get through the traffic was not an option. After a couple of minutes my tooth made a crack noise. Of course!! My numb lip was the anaesthetic that run down my face and the metallic taste must have been the laser on my gold tooth. So it was the laser but no one believed me. No one gave me any information of what to expect or a phone number to call if I needed to come back. That evening I was feeling very down and confused, after the drops wore off my left eye didn’t seem any different still a smudge/veil over the vision. Was it supposed to work straight away? Maybe it was just to prevent it getting worse and that what I had now and I had to live with it. I went to bed with a 101 questions and no one to ask. Can I continue with swimming and other activities, they gave me no information. next appointment in 6 weeks