Hi,

Some years ago I had a lasik at both eyes.

My values are :
Treatment: PlanoScan (Lasik EyeTr.) Cornea/callosity thickness before operation: 563 micrometer / Erosion 166 micrometer optical zone: 5,6 mm Cut with Hansatome Cornea/callosity thickness after operation: 405 micrometer

For years the following things trouble me extremely much: Strong continuing face pain (on the basis of the eye internal angle over the forehead to the rear in the neck, much ghost and halos, dry eyes. What could the cause be? Which treatments suggest it? What can I do? I suffer much!

Best thanks

Swiss,

You were quite nearsighted prior to your LASIK which is why so much tissue was ablated. The deeper the ablation, the more likely you will exhibit halos and ghosting. Those two symptoms are related to the change in the shape of your cornea and probably a small ablation zone relative to the size of your pupils. Ablation zones tend to be smaller in patients with higher prescriptions. Reducing the halos and ghosts is best accomplished with rigid gas permeable contact lenses which require specialized fitting, particularly for someone who was so nearsighted prior to surgery.

The dryness associated with the LASIK procedure is legendary. This web site has a wealth of information for people attempting to cope with post-LASIK dryness. Warm compresses, doxycycline, flax seed capsules, a host of lubricating eye drops and punctal occlusion are part the regimen LASIK casualties use to relieve their symptoms.

The chronic facial/head pain you experience is not as common but certainly has been noted in some other patients who correlate the onset with their LASIK procedure. The only suggestion is to see a neurologist for specific testing that may indicate a way to treat the neuralgia. I know of no topical treatment that can relieve that type of pain.

What have your doctors told you? What treatments have they suggested?

Thanks for your answer.

I take medicines such as Neurotin, Tegertol, Lyrica (psychopharmacologic ) but nothing helped, the pain is always present.

The pain physician says he can’t do anything make and the optician says the same. There is really no assistance for these very bad pain. What is the cause ? , the laser, diameters of the cornea/callosity or the cut? I do not even know that. I have the medical documents, perhaps I can see there someything?

Greetings

I am not a neurologist but I think a second opinion in indicated. Of what I know about chronic pain, it can be centered within muscle groups (muscle spasm) which may be triggered by the nerves serving those muscle groups, or the pain is within the nerve itself (shingles, for example). Locating the source of the pain is the critical diagnosis. Systemic pain relievers have not helped so you would probably need to consider injections - either into the muscle group (e.g, Botox) or the nerve itself, whatever the diagnosis.

We have had a few patients report on the bulletin board the onset of trigeminal neuralgia following LASIK. It's been several years but would show up in a search of the archives. Unfortunately, I don't remember those posters returning to the BB having secured relief from their pain. Based on your description, I would ask about a neurologist or neurosurgeon about nerve blocking injections.

Understanding how chronic pain can affect one's entire life, I would also consider consulting an accupuncturist. I have no direct experience with this but two of my patients found accupunture to be their only source of pain relief (their problems were not related to LASIK).

In cases of chronic pain associated with LASIK, it has been my contention that pain may arise from corneal nerve endings regrowing (and trapped) within the potential space between the flap and the residual stromal bed. There are confocal microscopic images of this occurring. I think this may also explain some aspects of chronic dryness associated with LASIK. This is conjecture on my part but it's a logical hypothesis. Removal of the flap would be the only way to test this hypothesis but I don't think refractive surgeons are going to jump on the idea.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr. DavOD Hartzok,

Ok
Thanks for your answer. I think there is no solution for my pain. For me that is not good. I don't know why I have this terrible pain. No doctor could say why. I can not believe that! Are there other people who have 166 micrometer Erosion (cornea/callosity diameter 563 before the operation) and have no problem ??? I would know WHY i have this pain. Then I could perhaps do something against this pain. I think this is normal.
Greetings
swiss

I have similiar symptoms to your following Lasik performed in 2003. I agree with Dr. Hartzoks theory.

This is just another reason to avoid the surgery.
Lasik is not safe.
I suffer every day with throbbing eye pain and headache that I know is caused by Lasik. My eye doctor claims there is no connection. He also claims my dry eye would have happened anyway. What a joke.

My face and eye pain is a result of muscle spasms which I found out from going to see a wonderful SE volunteer doctor in Oregon. I have since been going to a behavioral optomotrist in Vancouver, BC. Muscle strain results in dry eye because of the struggle to see. I was born with a lazy eye so it turns out that it is now known that I was a poor candidate for surgery. I do eye exercises and they help alot. I circle my eyes clockwise then counter clockwise a few times stretching my eyes as far as possible and it brings immediate temporary relief and tears. (I like to do it with my eyes closed.) It's worth a try!