I have been reading some of the stories, and would like to add my own. I had my first Lasik surgery on my L eye 8/95. At that time, they only did one eye at a time. I became interested in refractive surgery through my husband. He had had radial keratotomy in 1980, very successfully. I first looked into it in the late 1980s, and found that my 20/900 vision was too bad. When I moved to arizona in 1994, I heard about a new procedure called Lasik. In 1995 I was evaluated, told I was a good candidate and signed up. After both eyes were eventually done, I needed enhancements. I had an additional inhancement on each eye. I did have good vision without glasses for about 2 years, though I had difficulty with lights at night, and could not see well under flourescent lighting. Howerver, during that time it would get just a little harder to see. I had repeated follow ups with my eye care providers, and was told that my eyes would stabalize. They never did. At 2 years out I was back in glasses. I did okay for awhile, but my L eye was only correctable to a certain extent. My vision continued to deteriorate over the next few years, and it became impossible to correct my vision. I was at the point where I couldn't drive safely and was becoming very desperate. I felt that my vision had been destroyed by the surgery, and since it was several years later I felt I was being told "oh well". When I spoke with my initial surgeon after numerous meetings with him, he sent me for a repeat computer topography and follow up with a physician where I initially got the surgery in Phoenix. I was told that I had "
kerataconis", and that was what was wrong. Now prior to any surgeries, I had never had any problems with astigmatism or been told I had an astigmatism problem. I was quite nearsighted, but that was it. Now I was told I had Kerataconis, and the surgery probably just hastened the condition. As you may have guessed, I have been a little skeptical about this. I was told that the only treamtments were contacts, or corneal transplant. I attempted contacts, with weeks of fittings, and couldn't stand the discomfort for basically no improvement in vision. I had a corneal transplant on my L eye 9/2000. I am just now getting to the point where I have fair vision from that eye. I also must add that I did have to have catarat surgery with a lens implant 1/2002. It has been very hard to adapt to loss of near vision. I am now at the point where I am ready to get my R eye transplant done. Over the last few years I can not even begin to tell you the emotional tormoil I have been in, and the impact it has had on my family. They try to understand, but unless you have had the vision problems that I have experienced, you cannot possibly understand the impact it has on every aspect of your life. I am a registered nurse, and work in a busy ER. I have continued to work, because I have to! Some days I have been in tears due to inability to read the damn computer screen, or read tiny little phone numbers on lists. My colleagues know I have vision problems, but probably don't understand, as I do continue to function in my job. The personal stress toll I have taken though, because it does make an already stressful job much more stressful is considerable. I pray that after my other corneal transplant I will be able to see better. I desire to be able to use 2 eys at once. My vision will never be as it was prior to Lasik surgery even though I was 20/900, correctable to 20/25. My vision in my right eye at this time is 20/1100, my L eye after transplant and cataract surgery with implant is 20/40 which cant be further corrected with lenses. I need a +3.00 reading glass and if my 9 year old wasn't here to pick out some things, this would take much longer to write. If I knew then, what I know now, I would never have let anyone touch my eyes. The funny thing is, even knowing what I have gone through, a physician I work with had the lasik surgery done and with the same provider. I wish him luck.