well, hello Phylis.

nice try, but i haven't been working out for several weeks, so no flex-pics : P

i think i finally know how the dry eye group feels, since my right eye started scratching again last night while watching CNBC and started stinging greatly - despite excessive watering.

joy.

and, just like predicted, my vision is shifting around, with the left eye getting ghosty but clear and the right eye gaining some UCVA...confuses the brain.

the best way i can describe my eyesight right now is like a lens popped out of my eyeglasses (not that i've actually WORN eyeglasses in 12 years...)

should make for a fun week at work next Tuesday...

--

Muddy,
Just curious on how Dr. Nordan figures out the laser settings. Does he base it on topo's alone? Does he have any kind of wavefront machine to help in the diagnosis?
You are gusty to do both eyes at once. Some fine day in the future when I am convinced there is a reliable fix for my situation, I still think I'll go in one eye at a time. Just in case I'm one of those 2%'ers (or is that 20%) that have an unpredictable "bad outcome". (Like the first time you know.)
Keep us posted on your progress, pilgrim.

Millard

"should make for a fun week at work next Tuesday..." - Muddy

Muddy,

Thank you for your response to my PRK questions.

It must be challenging for you physically and mentally going to work next week with your healing but fluctuating vision.

Wish you the speediest recovery!

P.S. I doubt I'll run out and get a PRK now. I'll wait till your eyes have healed up and stabilized. And see what your and others' (DT,...)assessments are before I make my next move. It may takes a long time for you guys' eyes to heal(1 or 2 years?). But I'll probably wait.

2. Are you using steroid drops after PRK and for how long?

yes. FML - for about 5 days. the bottle is very small so it has started running out after about a week. i am also on the end of the eyedrop antibiotics.


i am not doubting your doctor's recommendations but 5 days seems like an awfully short time to be on FML after PRK. We usually use FML for 3-4 months after PRK and less only when it is determined that the patient is healing slowly and without haze.... interesting!

Dr. Jedlicka,

yes, i DO find that interesting...

in my past readings, i've seen reference to such drops causing cataracts (sub-capsular?) if used for too long - or maybe i'm wrong (is there a difference between NSAIDS and those that are steroidal?)

so, 5 days as opposed to 5ish months - that's quite a difference!

could it have anything to do with the fact that is was a HYPEROPIC PRK?

--

I had Lasek, 1 eye on 1/16 and the on 2/4, and used Tobradex and EcoPred for 5 days after surgery. I asked my doctor about the use of steroids, he claims not to have seen a correlation between the use of drops to regression. I don't know if Lasek vs PRK dictates a different use of drops, but I would have thought the prescription of drops would be very similar.

Chris

Muddy:

When Dr.NOrdan did my myopic PRK I was only one drops for five days. It does not matter if it is a hyperopic PRK or a Myopic PRK. THe duration of use for the drops is the same. I was very worried about stopping the drops after five days. The opthamologist that was doing my follow-up agreed with Dr. Nordan - five days is the new trend. Drops can certainly be re-initiated if a post op problem is identified. Your PRK was done by one of the most experienced PRK docs in the country who routinely treats post refractive complications. Your drop schedule is correct.

Rick Esser

good comments, sounds like there is substantial thought that went into dropping to 5 days. i believe i have learned something, though im sure if someone were to develop haze that would change things. does anyone know of a reference which discusses this reduced use of steroid drops after PRK?

i have been taking steroids for a total of seven weeks on a reducing basis with one week to go. i had no touch prk done on 12/30/02. my vision is 20/15 and 20/30 with the majority of improving vision coming in week 6. i was told my vision should improve over the next 8 weeks, hope they are right. still having some problems with one eye, but overall i'm amazed considering i had -4.75 and -5.5 before the laser procedure.

because everyone's DYING to hear this:

left eye is still real good - from clear to clear-double-vision day and night.

right eye not so good - blurry up close, slightly decent distance vision. still "throbs" and stings slightly, but nowhere near what it did the first week.

i'm hoping the problem with my right eye is one of perception - during the 12 or so years of my RK, my right eye was "better" than my left, but only because i could see out of the "top" of it. the left was essentially decentered with an astigmatism, so it manifested as "blurry vision" - my "bad" eye.

now that the PRK was performed, the left eye has been "fixed" and has wonderful vision - but the right was so twisted up tight in its profile that just the act of evening it out has made right-eye vision seem blurry (like my post-RK left eye seemed for 12 years...)

still, this sucks, as it always feels like something is on my right eye (vaseline or something blurry) - even though there is nothing there, just a difference in vision.

hopefully, within a month, things will have settled down some more.

(still have RK starburst at night and ghosts/double vision during the day - don't think that stuff will change much thanks to my HUGE pupils)

--

1) what's up with the light sensitivity after PRK? is this going to last several months? it can be bad enough that i have to wear sunglasses on overcast days...

2) the old RK scars, visible to the naked eye as a sort of "plus sign" in my eyes...are GONE! YAY! i guess they were PRK'ed away. (this is only a cosmetic effect, though, because i still have starburst at night)

--

I am very interested in your progress, I have bought air ticket to see Dr. Nordan. I feel like this waiting is endless.
If you have more information about Dr. Nordan, please let me know at ling_5@yahoo.com

ok, here's what's up with my PRK approaching the 2-month healing mark (February to March, March to April):

left eye is still reading well up-close, but the letters are double-visioney - it gets worse in low light.

right eye has stabilized real well, and has SHARP vision in the day far away, but up-close needs some help (but better up-close than it was during RK years)

this is gonna sound weird, but there's this little trick i do, using 2 mirrors (one handheld and one wall) where i look into the mirrors in such a way that i can see the "profile" of my corneas (side-view)

i was very familiar with the "flat" shape of my corneas after the RK, but after the hyperopic PRK, they have assumed a more "rounded" profile, and that seems borne out by the improved vision in either eye.

it still seems there is some irregular shape to the left cornea, but the right one looks real smooth and round (which makes me wonder why i cannot see up-close in that one despite it's nice profile...)

so bottom line, good daylight vision, poor lowlight vision.

and yes, the starbursts are still there at night - blech (but no worse than they were before PRK)

--

about 4 days away from the 3-month mark.

i can rub my eyes now, and i don't wake up sometimes with a pain from having my eyelid open in one eye (this sometimes happens with people - post-rs or not)

while i certainly don't have anything NEAR 20/20 after my PRK-over-RK, i feel much more relaxed now than when i was living with just my RK'ed eyes of 13 years (wow, has it been that long?)

day vision is very good - i still feel i need eyeglasses to read some chrome "dealer tags" on the backs of cars (you know, like "joe blowe's Honda" glued on in plastic chrome on the backs of cars...)

indoor-vision is 20/40ish, but with the comfort of knowing i can bring an object close-up and read it or see the detail on it (yay!)

night-vision is still junk - largely due to the RK scars - i will still never forgive myself or my RK "surgeon" for doing this in 1990/1991.

overall, i'm feeling more comfortable with my life - even looking at new job prospects and will be moving into a new house soon...

it is nothing short of amazing to see the little flakes of grey ash on the end of a cigar i'm smoking - the wrinkles on the back of my hands - dustballs on the floor - all the things we took for granted when we had eyeglasses...

i hope things continue to stabilize past the 3-month mark - might consider further PRK some day in the future.

--

It sounds like you are moving forward with your life and loving it. Thanks for keeping us posted. Continued good vision and luck.

PS. Seeing your cigar ashes, what more could a guy wish for? You've hit the big time. Phyllisss

[This message was edited by pknapp on May 09, 2003 at 05:57 PM.]

thanks Phyllis.

i just wanted everyone who is still here from the original SE "crew" to know that even though i don't post here very often anymore, i still think about you guys daily...

i hope you find your peace one day...

(even that weird Pizzo guy...)

: )

--

Glad to hear that you are doing well. Amazing what reclaimed vision does for the soul, when you have been there.

best regards

"Nothing works as good as the original equipment."

Muddy:

Good to hear this was the right decision for you! It was gutsy and the healing period long. I am so glad to hear you have more usable vision now and can move on with life. I hear you about the new job being part of moving into a new comfort zone. I have people sending me applications and I don't even respond because I don't think I "have enough eyes" to start a new job. Your story helps me keep hope alive that someday, my first thought about a new job opportunity won't be my eyes.

Congratulations from another old timer,
Gail

After following your postings for a long time, I am glad things are going well well for you. AS all of us know, it has been a battle of what seems like a lifetime. Your thoughts, and even more your actions, have given me the resolve to move forward on my own 10 year RKed eyes. After three years of trail and error on contacts, without success, I am commited to follow in your footsteps. Thanks for leading the way.

Hey Muddy! yep, like you I do not post often anymore, but I check in and read often. Nothing really new to report for me. Dry eyes, blur...same old same old. Every time I reach for the eye drops, I think of my SE friends. Even those that had that "ancient PRK" procedure!