My name is Dorota Barbarewicz (Kalkowska). My great passion is music. By profession I am instrumentalist musician and early childhood education teacher. I am currently studying two courses: At the Academy of Music in the instrumental department - FAGOT(II lic.) and at the University of Gdansk - Pedagogy (I mgr).
Everyone has a different story regarding sight problems. I don't really remember when they started. Perhaps my eyesight defect has been with me since birth, because, as my mother told me, I was born with no signs of life, 2 points on the Apgar scale, then lying in an incubator - and without my glasses.
At home, no one suspected that I might have any problem with my eyes, I found every pin and fern on the carpet, and on our allotment I ran between the trees (and in truth there were quite a few).
When I went to school I was examined and that's when it all started.... My mother had been to many ophthalmologists with me, but luckily, thank God, I came under the care of first Dr Trapkowska and then Dr Lipowski. I would just like to add that my visual defect at the age of 6 was OP -6 and OL -4 and on top of that binaural astigmatism.
The defect increased with each visit, and until the very end, my parents and I waited for the doctor's signal to go for an eye patch procedure in Katowice. However, this did not happen. At one point, my defect grew so bad that I could no longer wear glasses because there was too much discrepancy between one eye and the other, so I started wearing lenses from the age of 13.
Since then, the visual defect has remained around OP -16.5 OL -8 and on top of that astigmatism. When I turned 18 I finally made the decision to have laser correction, but I had a lot of fears and constantly recurring questions: "What if it doesn't work...?".
I decided to take a chance and somehow survive for 3 more years until I reached 21, the age at which the eyeball stops growing. The whole time I was under the care of Dr Lipowski and Dr Zachariasz (from lenses).
I started looking for a place where they carry out such treatments. I came across Blikpol thanks to my doctor. Before making an appointment I looked at all the reviews, to my surprise all of them were positive !!! There was nothing to wait for and I made an appointment.
There is no denying that I was very nervous as I knew that my visual defect might exclude me from the procedure.... The ladies at reception made a nice impression on me, they took care of me while I was waiting for my qualifying appointment for the procedure.
During the examination, my eyes were examined in all directions. Dr Witold Czuszynski was very meticulous and unhurried in his subsequent examinations. The most frightening moment for me was when the Doctor put a glass of about -20 on this worse eye so that it could see well... The thought popped into my head: "Well it won't work...".
I said that I didn't want my defect to be zeroed out, just reduced so that I could wear glasses or lenses that wouldn't cost several thousand because they were imported from abroad (unfortunately they didn't make such lens powers in Poland). The doctor nodded and offered me the Femtolasik treatment method (I hope I remember correctly :)) and the defect after the treatment would remain OP -6 and OL -3 so that I could wear glasses. I agreed to everything, I immediately felt great confidence in Dr Czuszynski. I was terribly happy about it.
The day of the surgery came on 21 July 2015, my parents came with me. When I entered the designated room I changed into an apron and cap, the nurse lady allowed me to take my teddy bear dog that I still have and I got it from my brother when he found out I had problems with my eyesight.
Before the procedure itself, I was definitely given something to calm me down and eye drops were put in my eyes. Eventually I went into the room and lay down comfortably, I cuddled my teddy bear and the procedure began. It was a very big experience for me, I remembered everything, even the fact that I was singing songs to everyone :D. Right after the treatment itself, I sat down in the room outside the treatment room and to my surprise I could already see much better !!!
Overall the procedure went through very quickly, I thought it would take much longer. Afterwards, I went home with my parents.... My dad was also very upset that he almost hit the car in front of him, but at the last moment I shouted: "Dad brake!".
When I got home I went to bed, my fiancé asking me every now and then if he should bring me something. In the morning I woke up and noticed a clock with the time on the wall. For a moment I tried to take my glasses off because I thought I had them on my nose, but they weren't there.... I just saw it!!!
I cautiously got out of bed and walked over to the mirror, I couldn't look at myself, I went to every spot in the room and looked at myself. It was amazing !!! Full of hope we went for a check-up.
Dr Czuszynski couldn't believe it was that good !!! I saw almost all the letters.... For the first time since I can remember. A miracle just happened ! I don't think anyone expected such a result 🙂 !
Of such highlights of my life after the procedure is that I got married in 2017, I am very happy. I have known Luke since I was 16 and he fully accepted my visual impairment, in a way he was not afraid of the responsibility for me. My visual defect did not bother him at all. I did the treatment for myself and for the sake of my eyes. Now they are not constantly tormented by lenses.
I have finally been revived. In 2016 I graduated from the Secondary Music School in Gdynia at FAGOC - it was a very important event for me, I have now been playing bassoon for almost 13 years, that's more than half my life!
Nothing limits me now, not even this residual defect of mine, but what is it compared to what it was. Now without any correction I can see better than before with correction.
I am really glad that I came to Blikpol and that I came under the care of such good doctors as Dr Pawel Lipowski and Dr Witold Czuszynski.