Sometimes you just have to stare.....

[Keymaker]

As my dry eye issue is now almost resolved, I am looking to fix my other issue: Visual distortion due to heavier than normal eyelids. They cause some "streaking down" in my vision and a very slight double vision due to the changes in shape of my cornea after PRK.

Saw my opthomologist yesterday. He has helped me tremendously with the DES since my PRK 18 months ago (he did not do it). We are thinking of a minor eyelid surgery to fix this problem. However, I asked if a schleral contact lense might help as it vaults the cornea and might carry the weight of my eyelid and transfer it to the schlera therefore the distortion may be stopped. Since my doc is a 25 year veteran of the business and appears super experienced I felt he could give me some great insight into this idea!

He asked me what a schleral lense was...

I just stared...

I may be in trouble here...

[willwork4tears]

I think my eye Dr. (corneal specialist) is great, but he certainly doesn't know everything. He's told me on 3 occasions that I know more about dry eye than he does. In my opinion the best doctor isn't the one that knows everything. He's the one that WANTS to know everything, even if it means having to admit he's learning from a patient. Take the time to educate your doctor. If he's willing to listen, do a little research on his own and discuss the option with you, then he really is that super experienced veteran that will keep you coming back. When it comes to doctors, humility and curiosity go a long way for me.

[Gretchen]

I agree. You are lucky to have an eye Dr that is even interested in helping you. Eye docs know VERY little about dry eye save for a precious few. I too have been told by one of the most well known dry eye docs that I "know more about dry eye than 95% of optho's". Very depressing.

I would recommend that you go to the BFS site and PRINT out any FAQ's and other general information that you believe would help him. Doc's like print outs as they are famously un-tech savvy. Review it with him, then give him some names of folks that do them - BFS, Dr G, etc and let him contact them for further info if he wishes.

If this eye doc has helped you so far, he will go the rest of the way with you. And be grateful to you for the opportunity to learn. Sclerals have many important applications that he should appreciate as a viable option for several difficult anterior segment diagnoses.

Good luck.
Gretchen

[Keymaker]

Come on now people...have we lost our sense of humor here?

I was being humorous. I have know this Dr for years and he has been a great help. Of course I will stay with him. I fact, we both had a laugh at his expense at that moment.

[mary kenny badami]

Oh, thank goodness that you clarified, Keymaker.

Like the previous posters, I also (mis)read your post as being serious.
Guess I don't "know" you well enough yet to have realized that you were kidding!

[willwork4tears]

Hahaha....ok you got me. Well after hearing all these horrible stories about how disappointed people are with their eye doctors...you never know, right?

[Keymaker]

He not a bad guy even if he did graduate from Vanderbilt. I went to UGA so there is a little grudge match there...but he is a very patient person and ready to listen. Many times I see him for just a pep talk. He was the one that took me off Restasis and put in lower punctals and increased Omega-3 which now has me basically where I need to be. I just wanted to poke a stick in everyones side and provoke a little laugh!