My eye surgery as an IELTS Writing Task 1 process description 👁👁

Those of you who’ve known me for a while, or who’ve seen old photos of me, know that I used to wear glasses. I no longer do because I got eye surgery – and wrote about it as an #IELTS Writing Task 1 answer.

Even though there is no real IELTS task like this, there are still lots of things you can borrow from my answer.

"The process began from a full diagnostic test. Based on the results of the test, the ophthalmologist concluded that LASIK – the type of surgery I had intended to get – was not an option for me due to thin corneas and advised that I get PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) instead. This type of surgery has a longer and more painful recovery period. However, having weighed all the pros and cons, I decided to go through with it.

On the day of the surgery, I first had consultations with an ophthalmologist and an anesthesiologist, who walked me through the process. The surgery took place after that and consisted of several steps.

In the first step, a nurse put numbing drops in my eyes. After the anesthesia had taken effect, she walked me into the operating room and helped me lie on the treatment couch. In the next step, the surgeon placed an eyelid holder, also called an eye speculum, on my right eye to prevent it from blinking. He then positioned the laser over my face and shone a green light into my eye for several minutes. This was followed by the actual laser treatment, which lasted for several seconds and was barely noticeable. The same operation was then performed on my left eye. The final step was a postoperative assessment, after which I was discharged.

In the following days, I experienced severe discomfort and itching, which began to gradually decrease in intensity on the third day but lingered for about three more days. Another inconvenience during this period was having to go to the clinic for assessment every day – a requirement that was burdensome due to pain and excessive tearing.

Overall, while the surgery itself was short and painless, the recovery wasn't. The hellish recovery notwithstanding, I am glad I got the surgery because a life without glasses is more convenient."

And during my recovery, since I couldn’t look at screens, I spent my days listening to lectures by well-established writers. I then implemented some ideas in my Creative Writing Club. Silver lining.

What are some things you can borrow? And did you notice the summative modifier? Share in the comments. 💡

#ieltswritingtask1