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I had LASIK done four years ago. I've gone through a range of mixed emotions with this induced condition, though not as much anger as i probably should have. I never suffered with dry eyes before LASIK, only when i wore contacts which i could not tollerate for more than 1 hour. I regret not doing more research on the internet, but in fairness to myself i did not know how to use google back then. I did try looking at sci.med.vision as was told to read this site first but i could never bring it up on the net. So i unknowingly put all my trust in the surgeon. I did not know he was independant working and trying to get as much custom as he could. I asked him about the small print on the consent form concerning dry eye. I asked if i was at greater risk of this because i couldn't wear contacts. His reply was just dry eye with contacts does not mean you have dry eyes, i've looked at your eyes and they do not look too bad. He told me i was ok for surgery. I asked how much LASIK makes the eyes dryer, i was told only 10%. I now know he must have made up this figure. Isn't this so familiar to everyone else's story?
If i have any anger its more aimed at a society/ government that allows money making companies to profit from this procedure that is unnessarily causing terrible infliction on many individuals. Sure the majority of success outways the minority for now but that does not make it right. That thought may help the surgeons live with their fortunes but the pain & suffering of the minority far aways the enjoyment of freedom of glasses and contacts for the majority. Also those who could tollerate contacts are more likely have no dry eye after LASIK so isn't better we forget LASIK and those who wouldn't have got LASIK dry eye can just keep using their contacts and don't need glasses anyway. And those who can't wear contacts are much better off not having LASIK (even those who have got away with it now might suffer as they age if they had contact issues!). Also surgeons do not explain the knock on effects of having dry eye. Some people i've told i have dry eye about just give me a dumb look and say "haven't you heard of eye drops!". For a start they don't work for me for longer than 2 minutes and make the burning worse ( have tried every eye drop). If i am in a space with air con, over heating or fans i suffer severe pain all around my eyes and in my sinus cavities, there is shooting pain though my right eye to the back of my head. My nose drips with blood slightly from the dry sinuses. Nothing i've taken helps my sinuses. Who would have thought dry eyes cause all that! Not many people know the tears in eyes also go down the tear ducts to keep the nose moist. I have bottom tear duct plugs now but when i had all 4 put in the sinus headaches became permanent. Plus my eyes adjusted and became dry again after 3 days. If it was just the burning/ grit in my eyes feeling then i could probably cope but when i get the dry sinuses i feel like i have flu or something, even my back starts to ache and i have to lay down ( i think its an immune response by that stage).
Anyway my dry eye got slightly better after 3 months post LASIK but then went down hill after 6 months, mainly because i was in an air conditioned office. I had to quit that job. I went back to the LASIK company, my surgeon had left. My schmir was 0 in both eyes. I couldn't be helped much. I regularly go to the eye hospital now but they can't do a lot. Some days are better than others and I am hopeful most days. I think I am a naturally happy fun person, i am usually ok most days because i still have a job and a home. I'm able to work in a small shared office where i control the environment, i had to fight disability rights for it and it was worth it. The thing that gets me the most down is not the condition alone but explaining it to others, having to get them to modify their air con in their car etc for my comfort. Its so true other people think its a minor suffering, i'm tired of feeling guilty for making a fuss out of it. My mother told me i should just get on with it and said she doesn't have much moisture in her eyes either (but hers don't burn or have the feeling of sand in her eyes!). So now i suffer in silence and avoid social interaction in air conditioned places. I also can't tollerate perfume from other people anymore as this affects my sinuses which are very dry. It also causes me painful sinus headaches. But all this said i do have good days, even good weeks where i get on with my life and try to enjoy it the best i can. If you ever met me you could probably not even tell i have this condition. My eyes are not red usually, i've only ever had one stranger ask if i have a problem with my eyes as i think i must have been squinting a bit or something.
Thank you for reading and I am sorry if you are suffering to. May you find some peace and help from using this sight. I am happy to answer any questions as i have had this condition for a long time and know pretty much all there is in controlling the condition and know what works and what doesn't for me (wrap around glasses are a big help). As for myself i wish there was a local group i could join so i could talk to those with the condition (as typing and reading a lot on the pc doesn't help the condition!). I've only ever spoken to people on the internet who live miles away from me so if you are from the South West of England I would love to hear from you.
Hope is a wonderful thing!
I had LASIK done four years ago. I've gone through a range of mixed emotions with this induced condition, though not as much anger as i probably should have. I never suffered with dry eyes before LASIK, only when i wore contacts which i could not tollerate for more than 1 hour. I regret not doing more research on the internet, but in fairness to myself i did not know how to use google back then. I did try looking at sci.med.vision as was told to read this site first but i could never bring it up on the net. So i unknowingly put all my trust in the surgeon. I did not know he was independant working and trying to get as much custom as he could. I asked him about the small print on the consent form concerning dry eye. I asked if i was at greater risk of this because i couldn't wear contacts. His reply was just dry eye with contacts does not mean you have dry eyes, i've looked at your eyes and they do not look too bad. He told me i was ok for surgery. I asked how much LASIK makes the eyes dryer, i was told only 10%. I now know he must have made up this figure. Isn't this so familiar to everyone else's story?
If i have any anger its more aimed at a society/ government that allows money making companies to profit from this procedure that is unnessarily causing terrible infliction on many individuals. Sure the majority of success outways the minority for now but that does not make it right. That thought may help the surgeons live with their fortunes but the pain & suffering of the minority far aways the enjoyment of freedom of glasses and contacts for the majority. Also those who could tollerate contacts are more likely have no dry eye after LASIK so isn't better we forget LASIK and those who wouldn't have got LASIK dry eye can just keep using their contacts and don't need glasses anyway. And those who can't wear contacts are much better off not having LASIK (even those who have got away with it now might suffer as they age if they had contact issues!). Also surgeons do not explain the knock on effects of having dry eye. Some people i've told i have dry eye about just give me a dumb look and say "haven't you heard of eye drops!". For a start they don't work for me for longer than 2 minutes and make the burning worse ( have tried every eye drop). If i am in a space with air con, over heating or fans i suffer severe pain all around my eyes and in my sinus cavities, there is shooting pain though my right eye to the back of my head. My nose drips with blood slightly from the dry sinuses. Nothing i've taken helps my sinuses. Who would have thought dry eyes cause all that! Not many people know the tears in eyes also go down the tear ducts to keep the nose moist. I have bottom tear duct plugs now but when i had all 4 put in the sinus headaches became permanent. Plus my eyes adjusted and became dry again after 3 days. If it was just the burning/ grit in my eyes feeling then i could probably cope but when i get the dry sinuses i feel like i have flu or something, even my back starts to ache and i have to lay down ( i think its an immune response by that stage).
Anyway my dry eye got slightly better after 3 months post LASIK but then went down hill after 6 months, mainly because i was in an air conditioned office. I had to quit that job. I went back to the LASIK company, my surgeon had left. My schmir was 0 in both eyes. I couldn't be helped much. I regularly go to the eye hospital now but they can't do a lot. Some days are better than others and I am hopeful most days. I think I am a naturally happy fun person, i am usually ok most days because i still have a job and a home. I'm able to work in a small shared office where i control the environment, i had to fight disability rights for it and it was worth it. The thing that gets me the most down is not the condition alone but explaining it to others, having to get them to modify their air con in their car etc for my comfort. Its so true other people think its a minor suffering, i'm tired of feeling guilty for making a fuss out of it. My mother told me i should just get on with it and said she doesn't have much moisture in her eyes either (but hers don't burn or have the feeling of sand in her eyes!). So now i suffer in silence and avoid social interaction in air conditioned places. I also can't tollerate perfume from other people anymore as this affects my sinuses which are very dry. It also causes me painful sinus headaches. But all this said i do have good days, even good weeks where i get on with my life and try to enjoy it the best i can. If you ever met me you could probably not even tell i have this condition. My eyes are not red usually, i've only ever had one stranger ask if i have a problem with my eyes as i think i must have been squinting a bit or something.
Thank you for reading and I am sorry if you are suffering to. May you find some peace and help from using this sight. I am happy to answer any questions as i have had this condition for a long time and know pretty much all there is in controlling the condition and know what works and what doesn't for me (wrap around glasses are a big help). As for myself i wish there was a local group i could join so i could talk to those with the condition (as typing and reading a lot on the pc doesn't help the condition!). I've only ever spoken to people on the internet who live miles away from me so if you are from the South West of England I would love to hear from you.
Hope is a wonderful thing!
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