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2+ Years Since Becoming a LASIK Statistic

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  • 2+ Years Since Becoming a LASIK Statistic

    I just read Diana's story for the first time. There are so many days that I look around me at the people that I am in contact with through work, family, etc. and I feel like I am the only person in the world who is experiencing the horrible physical and emotional problems that LASIK dry-eye has caused me. I know that there are many people, some better and some worse off than I am, that are going through this nightmare and hoping to wake up or somehow change the decision they made to have LASIK in the first place.

    I was perfectly happy and content wearing my toric softlens 66 contacts during the day and my glasses to bed at night. I had family members that had RK done back in the 80's and my sister and cousin had LASIK a few years before I did. I played football in college and spent 4 years in and out of the NFL and a summer in NFL Europe. I knew of all the athletes that were having their vision improved with LASIK surgery and the wind and physical impact on the field would bother my eyes. I thought of having LASIK all the time and after my sports career was over I started working as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative. Six months into my new career my grandmother gave me a check for $2500 dollars to have LASIK surgery. I was so excited. My wife and I had a new baby and now I was going to get rid of the inconvenience of contacts and glasses. My eval went fine and there were no concerns voiced. (Why oh Why didn't I research LASIK on the internet) The surgery was successful??? and after LASIK and to this day my vision has been b/w 20/15 and 20/20. I didn't notice it at the time but after my surgery the nasal side of my eyes became bloodshot and inflamed. Over the last 2 years it has gradually gotten worse. I have seen at least 5 opthalmologists over the last year and limited improvement. I am on restasis, biotears, theratears, barleans liquid flax oil, dwelle, dakrina, and tranquileyes. My wife is 28 wks pregnant with our second child (boy) and on bed rest. I am consumed with depression, regret, and resentment toward everyone that had a hand in my decision to have LASIK including myself, my surgeon and staff, my grandmother. I love my job and I used to be really good at it. I would get up as early as possible and enjoy every minute of my day. Now I find myself doing just enough to get by. All I want to do is sleep and I never want the morning to come because it is all that I can do to put my two feet on the ground and get out of bed. I feel like I am failing as a husband and father because I only think about my eyes. I spend all day talking to family and internal medicine drs and I can no longer look them in the eyes b/c my eyes are EXTREMELY bloodshot all the time. I spend every spare minute on this website and others like it or I go through old pictures of myself from before the surgery and wish I still saw that person when I look in the mirror. I wish there were some way to change what I have done because I really miss the man that I used to be. I notice everyone that passes by me in the car or in person that has glasses and sometimes I see the outline of contacts in their eyes and I am so jealous. I would give nearly anything to not have had LASIK and have the minor inconvenience of glasses and contacts. DN

  • #2
    DN

    I was really saddened to read your story and can relate to every word you spoke.

    We have had so many new members on this board recently but stories like yours have a significant personal impact as I get so angry that yet another person has joined our "exclusive" group caused by potentially poor screening in the lasik machine.

    It seems that you have tried loads of things but are still struggling. I am not sure what to suggest but to keep your head high and enjoy each day as best as you can.

    I have loads of days still (2+ years epi-lasek) where I share a lot of your feelings and get so angry at times but I try to focus on the positive things in my life and there are loads of them when you look for them.

    I think the biggest step forward in my life was when I forgave myself for my decision to have surgery. I also accepted that I didn't choose this, it chose me. I did a lot of research before my surgery and looked at the statistics so I was certainly personally informed about what I was embarking on.

    I didn't have dry eyes prior to my surgery and still ended up with it.

    Things have certainly improved for me and I certainly hope that you find a better place sometime very soon.

    You have made a very positive step in joining this site, there are some fantastic people here how helped me through some really dark days and I hope that we can do the same for you.

    Warm regards

    Ian

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