I'm 38 and had a pre-op Rx of -7 / -1(180 deg) on both eyes. My cornea is rather thick (more than 600 microns), my pupils rather small in dim light (5 mm), I have a very good tear flow and an average cornea steepness. In conclusion : Very good candidate for Lasik.
I had my right eye treated more than 2 years ago with a MEL-60 and had the following problems :
- Residual refraction of -3 due to, according to my surgeon, too much tears during the procedure (laser vaporized tears, not cornea). The topography of my eye showed irregular surface.
- Grade 3 DLK, treated with non steroid drops (I suffered from very high eye pressure with initial steroid treatment). My vision was horribly hazy with ghosting, starburst, halos.

Healing process was very long with non steroid drops and I had an enhancement 7 months after with an MEL-70 without topolink.

Result was : plano on right eye but ghosting in daylight, halos, starburst and glare at night. My topography still showed refractive aberrations (slight decentration and a kind of central island).

I'm now 1 year post-op after my second enhancement on my right eye. The laser used was still the MEL-70 but with TOSCA and, according to my doctor, it did a good job (email me if you wish a copy of my pre and post-op topography).

The results are better, no ghosting, vision is weak 20/20. However, I have a loss of contrast sensitivity in daylight and striated halos at night.

Questions I'm still asking to myself are :

Is there a remaining refractive aberration ? Is it an interface problem ? a residual consequence of DLK ? will it ever go away or at least get better ? Is it a retinal problem, an optical nerve problem ?

Last Christmas, I finally took the decision not to go for the other (virgin) eye which is very well corrected with a contact.
Maybe in the future when laser technology and its effects will me more understood...

Olivier
olivier.illes@airbus.fr