Ellen
My story
The surgeon I went to was supposed to be "the best" worldwide. My surgeon was the "leader" of LASIK surgery. My surgeon told me to "keep my voice down" when I broke down crying in his office after the enhancement that ruined my eyes! My initial consultation lasted three hours and I only got to see the eye surgeon for about 2 minutes, just long enough for him to tell me that "I was a perfect candidate." That should have told me that perhaps I needed to find the second best surgeon.


I started at a -9.00 (both eyes) and was so excited that I finally was a candidate for LASIK, since I had been turned down for RK and PRK. Many optometrists referred me to this surgeon. I had no doubt I was in good hands. During the consultation a counselor went over some of the potential side effects. Loss of best corrected, halos and glaring at night (she said they disappear after 6 months), wrinkle in the flap (doctor immediately can fix) and drooping eyelids (only occurs she said in the elderly). She told me that at a -9 I would most likely need an enhancement. The counselor described it as "the doctor goes in and fine tunes things." The enhancement if done in a year was free.


The first surgery was a success. Within 24 hours I was seeing without my glasses. The day after I was measured at a "blurry" 20/20 (whatever that meant). Six months following I measured 20/30 and was given a -1.00 prescription since I had difficulty reading street signs and library signs. Each visit I was asked it I would have the enhancement. Each visit I asked the various doctors (never did see my surgeon) if I was at a higher risk for side effects going in a second time. Each doctor told me no. I had no side effects from the first surgery other than I wasn't seeing 20/20. This surgery was a piece of cake. Why wouldn't I have the enhancement to get 20/20?


The enhancement turned into a nightmare. I knew the very next day that things had gone terribly wrong. I had severe headaches and when I called and specifically spoke to my surgeon he told me that "no one has ever complained of headaches", but to come into the office, he would not be there, but another doctor would. The other doctor measured my vision and told me I was slightly farsighted but that would improve and that no one has ever complained of headaches, "maybe I should see a neurologist" is what that doctor said. The headaches became worse so I finally went to my own optometrist who prescribed a +1.25 prescription. I wore my new glasses and in 24 hours my intense headaches were gone.


I am farsighted in both eyes and it is very strange having been nearsighted since I was seven. Since the enhancement, I have severe dry eyes and have had plugs put in my tear ducts but that only provides partial relief. Every evening about 6:00 my eyes burn intensely for 3-4 hours and then stop. I wake up every morning with swollen eyelids and sore eyes.


Even though I must wear my glasses all the time, I still do not see well close-up (loss of best corrected I suppose). I have a muscle imbalance that prevents my eyes from immediately focusing. I was told that I probably always had this problem but that the nearsightedness masked it.


Driving is a nightmare. I see halos, glare and simply have difficulty seeing at night. I do not see well at all in the evening and must turn on every light in my house or else I get a headache. My eyes are sore all the time. I spend a lot of money each month on artificial tear solutions. I can't even try to wear contacts because my eyes are so dry. Now that I am farsighted, I have been told that I will need to wear bifocals much sooner than if I were nearsighted.


After I broke down crying in my surgeon's office and after he told me to keep my voice down, he said I would be a "perfect candidate" for the laser correction for my farsightedness that he just started doing. I have been to several other eye surgeons for second opinions and they have all told me "no". Each time you have surgery your eye becomes less predictable. I wish I knew that before the enhancement!


Each day I put my glasses on and try to get on with my life, but when I focus on something close up, (and don't see so hot), I am reminded of the terrible decision I made. If I had been told all the risks involved, I would have never had the enhancement. I would give anything to go back to being -9.00 without any eye pain, dryness, etc.