Hello,

I decided to have ALK way back in 1992. The surgery was being advertised as a great way to get the positive effects of RK, without the complications (weak corneas, starbursts, etc.)

I was 20 years old and had worn soft contacts since I was 12. Dry eyes were a daily part of my life and this sounded like a great opportunity to rid myself of the lenses for good! I had the surgery on my right eye and eagerly awaited the results. Unfortunately, the surgery did not work out as planned and the apologetic surgeon said the result would be much better on my left eye. I hesitantly agreed to the second surgery and it produced catastrophic results. I ended up with ghosting, multiple images, and horrid distortion.

Feeling very guilty, the surgeon sent me to a very prominent physician in Houston, TX. He was able to repair a good portion of the damage (enough to make Softperm contact lenses tolerable), but I was left with the following additional complications: fluctuating sight, dryer eyes, and a gradual loss of my near field vision.

Some days are better than others when it comes to my acuity, but the constant feeling of 'squeezing' or pressure on my eyes never goes away. At times, I have become depressed due to my perceived and actual limitations resulting from poor vision. I have sat idle and unable to go into the office because my eyes would not tolerate the lenses that day. Explaining the situation to my employer was a difficult task.

It has been almost 10 years and I have waited for a miracle cure to reshape my corneas. It never came.

I have eyestrain-induced headaches every waking moment of every day. The pain is a constant reminder of the decisions made in 1992 and a rude awakening to the blind trust I once placed in physicians.

If you are reading this posting and are in a similar situation, take comfort knowing you are not alone. When given the opportunity to let the public know that EVERY surgery has risks, do not fall silent. Had I been given easy access to the medical research of the time (20% ‘failure rate’ with ALK), I would have felt much better about my choices.

If you are considering surgery, you may note that technology has advanced greatly in the past 10 years. With these leaps in technology, there is still no way to correct my surgically deformed corneas. The lenses I wear cost over $150 per lens and only last for 6 months. I can only wear them for 12 hours (maximum). When researching a procedure, you may have been told, "results may vary." So, I wish you the best of luck if you decide to take the plunge. For many, the short-term results of LASIK look very promising.

I fear the days of clinics that “Fix your eyes for only $99!” and advertise on the back of the Comics Section are rapidly approaching. Patients need a voice to start demanding the necessary safety is taken and full disclosure of risk is provided before making a life altering decision.

In the end, there is Surgical Eyes.

Cornea Mapping OD
Cornea Mapping OS

[This message was edited by Tampa_ALK on December 01, 2002 at 03:55 AM.]