Question about Lasik

[Dryeye22]

Hey Everyone,

I have had contact lens induced dry eye for almost nine months now. It has led not only to aqueous def, but also mgd caused by ocular rosecea. I went down to see a dry eye specialist for the second time (after my last doctor was a joke) and he said that my eyes looked greatly improved. No more mgd, ocular rosecea and my eyes were "wet" without use of plugs. After not wearing contacts for one month, I no longer have any eye pain just mild redness from time to time and I would have to say my eyes are "normal" again.

(My routine is: fish oil 2x, Restasis, Optivar, Lid Scrubs, and Dietary changes-low protein, organic diet to help reduce inflammation)

He said that he would never recommend me to use contacts again, but Lasik would be a safer choice and a reasonable choice in the future.

I know lasik does induce dry eye, but with proper dry eye management before the surgery do you think it would be possible to have a safe recovery?

Thank you!

[bostonlover]

I will tell you my experience. I was contact lense intolerant but didn't have symptoms of dry eye outside of that. I never used artificial tears and never felt the need unless I was wearing contacts. I stopped wearing them when I was about 20 and just wore glasses until I decided to get lasik last May (I am now 28). I have been very uncomfortable with dry eye since then. I have spent probably close to $2000.00 in this short year on eye drops, Doctor visits, punctal plugs, and Restasis. So, based on what I have gone through and I wasn't really diagnosed with dry eyes before- I would say it isn't worth it. I would gladly go back to glasses. I actually have in a way because I am wearing moisture chamber glasses almost all waking hours. I use Onion Goggles at the computer at work and Panoptx outside and driving.

That is my .02 cents. Good luck in your decision and I wish you continued success in dealing with the dry eyes.

Tera

[bassfan]

I can't really give you an intelligent answer...but I know if I was "cured" of DES, I wouldn't even think about Lasik. My eyes suck now but I imagine there are plenty of people here that are worse off than me and I don't want to do anything that would ever have a chance of making it worse.

Daren

edit* - posted this the same time as Boston and that response is surely more useful than mine...but the same conclusion is reached.

[Rebecca Petris]

Out of the frying pan and into the fire?

My opinion:

NO one who has been ruled out for contacts because of dry eye and/or has to use the regimen you described to keep their eyes comfortable ("fish oil 2x, Restasis, Optivar, Lid Scrubs, and Dietary changes-low protein, organic diet to help reduce inflammation") should consider LASIK an option.

with proper dry eye management before the surgery do you think it would be possible to have a safe recovery?

Possible, yes. But what good does "possible" do you? You want, as a minimum, "HIGHLY PROBABLE".

[Guest]

Dryeye22,

If I was in your position (and I'm not) I would not consider LASIK if I already had DES.

I didn't have DES prior to my surgery (LASEK not LASIK) which is less invasive and I have had a horrendous time for nearly 2 years since my surgery.

I'm with Rebecca, anything is "possible", I would want a guarantee and that is certainly not something that any LASIK surgeon will give you.

There are a myriad of other options that you could consider first. Contact lenses have come such a long way, try some different types, who knows you may find 1 right for you.

Contacts are reversable, LASIK is permanent.

Best of luck with your decision.

Ian

Edit: Just reading your post again frightens me. Any DR that suggests that LASIK is the safer option with the symptoms you have presented clearly doesn't have an understanding of the surgery they are suggesting - There is countless documented cases that dry eyes is a contraindication for LASIK.

[Rebecca Petris]

Any DR that suggests that LASIK is the safer option with the symptoms you have presented clearly doesn't have an understanding of the surgery they are suggesting.

Ditto, ditto, ditto!!!!!! I overlooked this in your post too.

In one of the professional journals had an article some time back that took something in a study out of context and ended up basically saying something along the lines that lasik may be more safe than contacts. That has been repeatedly disproven in the medical literature - by a large margin.

[Lucy]

I know lasik does induce dry eye, but with proper dry eye management before the surgery do you think it would be possible to have a safe recovery?

It is possible, of course to have a safe recovery (with or without proper dry eye management). It is also possible to have a terrible outcome, no matter what you try. No doctor can predict how "YOUR" eyes will react to Lasik.

Boston said:

I have spent probably close to $2000.00 in this short year on eye drops, Doctor visits, punctal plugs, and Restasis. So, based on what I have gone through and I wasn't really diagnosed with dry eyes before- I would say it isn't worth it. I would gladly go back to glasses. I

Well, you can take that amount times 7 years and probably add another $10,000 to it for me. I write this as I'm wearing my Panoptx RX goggles. I also have two pair of special contact lens post-lasik, one $800 and another $8,000 and several pair or RX eyeglasses at $500 each (progressive bifocals). None of these "fix" me. I'm corrected ONLY to 20/50 with glasses. I can get a little better with contacts, but they hurt too badly to wear.

The reason there is a "DryEyeZone" is because of lasik gone bad via Rebecca and many others. Like us.

[dianat]

I also never had dry eye symptoms prior to LASIK. Now that I have my eyes are a disaster. Please, don't even think about having LASIK. Your doctor is terribly incorrect in telling you that it's even an option for you. I had multiple optometrists tell me the same thing for years even though I was contact lens intolerant. HOW CAN THEY NOT KNOW THE RISKS?!

Lucky for you, you now understand the risks. So, please, make the right choices.

D

[Dryeye22]

Thank you

Thanks everyone for your input and i hope you all are improving too with this lovely problem.

I pretty much knew I shouldn't go through with it, its just I can't get over the whole vanity issue of glasses. I know this sounds horrible and I feel guilty about it but I want to go out and look like all my other 22 year old friends. Oh wells I guess its something I have to deal with.

Thanks!

[heather g]

I am glad to hear you are considering not having the surgery. I had dry eye with my contacts (not without) I was told I was simply contact lens intolerable.
After surgery and even now a year + later I look at people wearing glasses with longing. The dry eye I have now is like never being able to take those contacts out. Actually worse. I would take glasses in a second!!!
Really think about how it would feel to be stuck in those uncomfortable lenses forever.
I only wish I had seen this forum before I took the plunge.
Heather