Wishing I Knew the Truth First
2 years ago I had great vision - better than most. Only problem was that I had to wear glasses. Uncorrected my vision was 20/800 but with glasses it was 20/15.

Glasses were at times an inconvenience. It was a pain at the public swimming pool to not be able to tell my kids from the others, it was a hassle when I worked outside and the sweat and dirt would accumulate on the lenses. Basically, just a hassle at times, but 95% of the time I didn't even think about it. I didn't even notice they were on my head during most of the day.

Some partners and I sold a company and it provided sufficient income that I could afford whatever I wanted. I thought, "hey, I'll get my eyes fixed". I had heard all the wonderful advertisements, read the Internet brochures produced by the "experts" and it sounded like it was without complication.

So, I decided to do it. I set the appointment with a doc that had done thousands of these and used the best laser available.

The next morning after the surgery my acuity was fine, but I felt like I had "tunnel" vision. The doc said that all was great, a wonderful result. That the "tunnel" vision was just me getting used to seeing without glasses. A week later I started seeing double and triple images or ghosts. It became really bothersome. The doc said, that I was seeing 20/30 so that was wonderful.

At the one month check up my vision was 20/40 and I could hardly stand it. All I thought of every day was how terrible my vision was. The doc prescribed me some glasses, but even with glasses I still had the ghost images. I tried contacts and they didn't help either.

Christmas came and every Christmas light looked like it was three lights with flares shooting up from the center and a halo around it.

It has now been a year and a half. The doc says that an enhancement could help, but he is unable to explain to me how an enhancement will help when the astigmatism is "irregular". Truth is, he can't help. I had correctable vision before. True, I had to wear glasses. However, now I have to wear glasses and there are still remaining ghosts and flares and halos that are not correctable, with anything. Everything I have read indicates that irregular astigmatism is not correctable with any procedure or glasses or contacts. So I live with ghosts, halos, and very dry eyes that require eye drops several times a day.

I would pay 10 times, no I'd pay 100 times what I paid to have the surgery if it could only be undone.

I have no problem with experimental procedures performed for the advancement of science. However, there are enough people that have had problems with this procedure that it should still be "experimental" and not billed as commonplace.

No doubt it has been "successful" and "wonderful" for many. However, even those who like the results, have some reduction in best corrected vision and visual acuity. The reduction in clarity is usually minor and perhaps even acceptable to them. However, it should be said that LASIK will reduce best corrected vision in most people, and significantly in some. Unfortunately, I was one of the "some".

When it comes to having this procedure done on you, please consider the potential outcome. Buyer beware.

I would never ask that a person's liberty, or right to request LASIK be taken away, just that the patient make the decision with full understanding of the potential and likely complications.

Sincerely,

Wishing I knew the truth first