A.T. Robertson Commentary Acts 9:18

"And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized;" — Acts 9:18 (ASV)

Fell off (απεπεσαν). Second aorist active indicative (note--an ending like first aorist) of αποπιπτω, old verb, but here alone in the N.T.

As if it were scales (ως λεπιδες). Chiefly late word (LXX) from λεπω, to peel, and only here in the N.T. See Tobit 11:13, "The white film peeled from his eyes" (ελεπισθη). Luke does not say that actual "scales" fell from the eyes of Saul, but that it felt that way to him as his sight returned, "as if" (ως). Medical writers use the word λεπις for pieces of the skin that fall off (Hobart, Medical Language of St. Luke, p. 39). Luke may have heard Paul tell of this vivid experience.

Was baptized (εβαπτισθη). First aorist passive indicative. Apparently by Ananias (22:16) as a symbol of the new life in Christ already begun, possibly in the pool in the house of Judas as today water is plentiful in Damascus or in Abana or Pharpar (Furneaux), better than all the waters of Israel according to Naaman (2 Kings 5:12).