Stan

After more than 15 years of dealing with the debilitating effects that Radial Keratotomy has left me with, I found your website. Thank you!

For years I wondered where I could find others who suffered the same misfortune as myself.

My story began in 1984. I went to see an ophthalmologist for a routine exam, after checking my refraction, he asked me if I was aware that there was an operation that would correct my myopia. I had never heard of such a thing. He briefly explained how the surgery worked and said that he had performed it on other patients and that they were now all 20/20.

Being a person that enjoyed physical activities, this sounded wonderful. The doctor gave me the names of a couple of his patients that had the surgery done, I contacted them and they said that they were happy with the results.

I went back to the doctor to inquire further, I remember him telling me " You have nothing to lose " I understood that the worst thing that could happen was that I might still be a little nearsighted and have to wear glasses for driving. I decided to have the surgery done. That is where my life changed.

I had my left eye done first, in March of ' 84, sixteen incisions ( yes that's 16 ). when the doctor took the patch off the eye my vision was hazy, So soon post op, I wasn't overly concerned. I went back everyday and it got a little better, but not much.

The doctor assured me that everything was just fine and the surgery went just like it was supposed to. After a few days, I could read the 20/20 line on the chart without correction, but my vision was different, I began to get concerned.

The doctor kept reassuring me that everything was going great. I was scheduled to have my right eye done about 5 weeks later, in May ' 84. Surgery was scheduled for Monday. The preceding Friday I went in for the routine pre-op workup, determined to put the second surgery off until I felt better about the vision in my left eye.

Once again the doctor said that everything was going exactly the way that it was supposed to and that I was just worrying too much. You have been wearing glasses for so long that it just takes the muscles in your eyes time to adjust! He convinced me, and I went ahead with the surgery, sixteen more incisions.

In the weeks following, I went back to the doctor for follow-up care, I could read the 20/20 line on the eye chart but my vision was not good. I was experiencing glare, halos and starburst, shadows and multiple images. I was scared and frustrated. I kept telling the doctor that I couldn't see very good.

He just kept on telling me that I had 20/20 vision and that I was much better off than before. The next few months were extremely difficult for me. I was having trouble learning to deal with my newfound visual problems. I kept going back to the doctor trying to get some answers but he stood his ground, telling me that I was better off than before and that there was nothing else he could do for me. He brushed me off and went on to his next patient.

I wrote the county medical society telling them of my experience and asking them to take some kind of action to have this doctor better explain the risks of this surgery to his patients. They wrote me back and said that they decided to take no action and that my situation was "unfortunate".

I could write volumes about what I have gone through since the surgery, the terrible regret, the uncertainty of the future, and the misery of not being able to see properly that I deal with every single day.

Now I wear strong glasses all the time to try to correct my worsening hyperopia, my vision is not good even with glasses. Looking back, I believe that my biggest mistake was trusting my doctor. As a youngster, I was taught that the doctor was there to help you and that you should trust him. Never again will I take a doctor for his word, especially an ophthalmologist.

The doctor who did this to me still performs RK as well as Lasik. He advertises extensively, touting himself as "internationally recognized". He even advertises special prices on Lasik surgery. After visiting many MDs and ODs in the area, I find that he is not well thought of and has caused problems for many people. Why then is he allowed to continue to practice?

After finding the surgical eyes website and reading the experiences section, I was horrified to learn that what happened to me in 1984 is still happening today! I wonder how can this be?

In addition, I have come to realize that even I have been fooled by all the hype about Lasik, I had no idea that so many people were having problems with that procedure, many of them the same problems as with RK.

I believe that people need to be responsible. I went into refractive surgery not well informed and I accept full responsibility for that. But why doesn't the medical community take responsibility for policing themselves? Why doesn't the FDA take responsibility for helping to protecting the consumer from ill conceived procedures like this?

I've often wondered since the surgery, why the FDA would control some things so closely, like not allowing a terminally ill patient to take certain medication because it was not approved, yet having nothing in place to prevent an over zealous physician from cutting into the healthy corneas of an unwitting 30 yr.old patient.

I sincerely hope that some good comes from this organization, I believe that it will if we all band together and make our voices heard, and act in a positive, constructive manner. To all of you who are dealing with post refractive surgical problems, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Please consider placing your story on this website, I think you will find it to help in the healing process. We must continue to make the media and the medical community aware of our plight.

Here is what Radial Keratotomy did for me:

Pre RK surgery 1984
OD -5.75 +1.25 @ 105
OS -6.75 +0.50 @ 80
Good vision with glasses No problems

Post RK surgery as of 5/99
OD +5.00 -2.75 @ 180
OS +6.25 -1.00 @ 025
Glare, halos, shadowing, starburst poor contrast sensitivity, fluctuating vision progressive hyperopia