LASIK and depression: Raleigh News & Observer follow-up article on LASIK

[Rojzen]

you are a must-be-present

So glad to hear, YGB, that you will be at those hearings! You have helped to make the cause of LASIK survivors especially meaningful. . .and have helped to make that meaning heard in the right places. . .Thank you so much for continuing to fight the good fight!

[Lucy]

Dr. Alan Carlson, a laser eye surgeon at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, built his career on correcting the vision of patients at high risk of complications. He said people at risk of depression or anxiety are generally not good candidates for LASIK. He compared them to patients who become depressed after undergoing cosmetic surgery.

This subject is broached very lightly or not at all in informed consent. In over 8 years on lasik/dry eye boards, depression is rampant in problematic cases. If I can pick up on this, why is it so hard for doctors to see? If one looks through DEZ, you can see the depression in so many cases. It's even worse in post-surgery boards.

I have been fortunate and was not hit with deep depression after my outcome. My vision still sucks. I had to stop working 3 years ago. If this isn't depressing, I don't know what is. I've managed because I have strong family support, tenacity, and a little age behind me. It's very distressing living with this, even over 8 years later. It's not better. During this 8 years, I have talked to many who were deeply depressed and had to seek professional help to help them overcome this pain. Time helped in some cases. This is no joke, docs.

YCB........bless you for going to this function. I'd love to join you, but can't. Thanks for speaking up for us. Lucy

[YGB]

Looking for ideas

Thanks Lucy. If anybody would like to send me a soundbyte or two or ... that they feel would be beneficial to include in a 5 minute presentation, please feel free to send me a PM.

I plan on starting the process of putting together the material for the presentation in the next couple of days so I am wide open to thoughts and suggestions. Thanks.

[shells]

YGB,

Thanks for posting this. I don't get how someone can't possibly believe that lasik complications and depression can be linked. It seems a no brainer to me. One day you are happy and normal, the next day you hand over several thousand dollars to someone who destroys your vision or everyday comfort? Hmmmmmm. Anyway, this is probably somewhere else on the site (there are so many new posts, I can't keep up!), but when and where are these hearings?

-Shells

[YGB]

Please see the link below. Note that written submissions may be made to the contact person on or before April 15, 2008. The contact person is Karen F. Warburton and her e-mail address is ... karen.warburton@fda.hhs.gov. You can also speak to her by phone at ... (240) 276-4238. Please write in your story.

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/script...ls.cfm?mtg=695