My eye problem is by far the most difficult thing that has ever happened to me. I went from being nearsighted and able to wear contacts, to perfect vision for two year, to the last five having an astigmatism, being nearsighted and far sighted, having no contacts fit my eyes,having severe dry eyes that have been treated with plugs, restasis, steroids, over the counter drops and having glasses, which I hate that never really work since my eyes change constantly. My eyes will not stablizie so they can supposedly try wavefront, two doctors have now said I should have never had the surgery to begin with. I am unable to pass a job physical since I cannot read the eye chart. Does anyone have any suggestions? The doctors tell me time. It's been seven years. Someone please help me!!!!

Pinkey06

I emailed you some information regarding resources in your area. If you would like to talk about your situation and possible options, please email me at info@visionsurgeryrehab.org with your phone number and best time to call, and I'd be happy to talk with you.

It is depressing to hear of problems as you have described.Please contribute answers to the following:
>What kind of surgery did you have?
>Why did you elect to have it if you were seeing well, able to wear contacts successfully, etc.?
>Was the contact lens correction you wore prior to your surgery a "toric" correction? (correction for astigmatism) Do you know what the powers of each lens were at that time so that you can now state them?
>Did you have ANY dry eye problems for the first two years after your surgery?
>Have you checked with a pharmacist to determine if any of the medications (be they over the counter or prescription)you may now be taking can contribute to dry eye? If so, when did you start these?
>Do you have arthritis of any kind? Are you being treated?
>What is your age?
>What reasons did the two doctors give for suggesting that you should not have had the surgery in the first place?
>Do you have the information about what your corneal center thickness was for each eye prior to the surgery, your refractive errors, your pupil sizes?
>Are you being treated for diabetes? If so, is your blood sugar level in good control?
>Have you ever been told that you have any dysfunction of the glands responsible for your tear film? If so, what advice was given regarding this?
>When you say you cannot read an eye chart well enough to pass a job physical is that without your current spectacle correction?
>Are you able to pass a driver's test to be licensed for day and nightime conditions currently? When was your state's last vision component for the driver's test last given?
>I assume someone has investigated your current corneal topography. If so, when was that last done and has it ever been repeated? What result of that analysis was given to you?
While this is a lengthy list of questions, it and perhaps more to come with answers will be necessary to propose what may have happened or is happening now. Many doctors contributing to this network have stated correctly that refractive surgery is not an exact science when it comes to the correction outcome nor is it a procedure that is without risk..... occasionally significant risk. The marketing is very effective yet statistics regarding true measures of all aspects of "successful" outcomes is not clearly defined by any provider or independant pre and post surgical investigating entity. Your experience would certainly tip the scales on the adverse results platform and these results should be more available for consideration by prospective candidates for refractive procedures PRIOR to making a decision that may change their lives either positively or negatively. Please be aware now that if your cornea has been significantly thinned, tests typically performed for intraocular tensions (done to assess evidence of glaucoma or ocular hypertension)may now be misleadingly inaccurate and therefore missing a clue that glaucoma may exist. Have you been informed of this by your refractive surgery provider prior to the procedure or after the procedure? This would be a very serious omission but I am aware that it is an omission made more often than not by providers in my area of practice. I'll stay tuned to the answers you give which will be useful to all that may chose to suggest help for your situation.

Dear Pinkey07; If you are suffering from chronic dry eye, visual distortions and a significant near-sighted and/or far sighted prescription, may I suggest that you look into getting fit with scleral lenses. Scleral lenses are large gas permeable lenses that vault over the compromised corneal tissue and are supported by the white portion of the eye. A special liquid fills the space between the back surface of the lens and the front of the cornea. Your dried cornea is in a liquid environment. Vision and comfort are usually very good. Very often these lenses promote healing, especially if the lasik flap/corneal interface is still open. If you cannot find a doctor who has experience with scleral lenses, look into the Synergeyes Post-Surgical hybrid lens. This too may give you improved vision and comfort.

Best of luck to you.

Edward Boshnick, O.D., F.A.A.O.
Miami, Fl
www.eyefreedom.com