Doctor in CBS report warns against LASIK

[kurt]

In the CBS report Eye Surgery Patients Describe Woes To Feds ophthalmologist Dr Cynthia MacKay says she tells her patients that LASIK

is a terrible idea and don’t go near it

The video is here:
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_vi...ml?id=4047764n

[lboogie]

All this news and info about how terrible lasik is -- is obvioulsy gratifying to those of us having problems. But to be honest it just makes me feel about 100 million times worse....anyone else?

[Lucy]

All this news and info about how terrible lasik is -- is obliviously gratifying to those of us having problems. But to be honest it just makes me feel about 100 million times worse

Hi lboogie-I can understand how this news makes you feel worse. Kind of like rubbing salt on a wound, maybe? You are a fairly new post-op person and have time on your side to heal alot of your dry eye problems, very much so.

Many of us have been dealing with all of the problems they're talking about. Either singularly or in multiples of problems.....for a long, long time. We tried telling people years ago (over 8 for me) that we had problems with out outcome, but the doctors just looked at us blankly like we were outcasts or something. Second opinion doctors were often no help, because they wouldn't squeal on their fellow docs. So, there we were, with bad vision and maybe dry eyes and on our own pretty much. That's how LaserMyEye.org and DryEyeZone.com were born. Rebecca was one of those with early problems.

When each lonely one of us got ourselves together and got on the internet, we found a few others who were having the same or similar problems. We made this connection and it helped keep many of us sane. Just knowing others had the same problems helped. We got information from each other, much like we do on DryEyeZone.

Many stories have been done over the years about those of us with bad outcomes. By contrast though, laser clinics advertising very much overrides out little tales or woe. This must be retold as long as people remain unaware of the problems. There will continue to be people having problems as long as the surgery is performed. No, I don't look for it to be outlawed, but when there is a problem, people are not as surprised as we were.

With a bit more time, I think you'll continue to do well. Best of luck.
Lucy

P.S. Kurt, thanks very much for posting this for us.

[lboogie]

thanks Lucy -- I'm just having a really emotional day. I hope it didn't sound too bitter.

[dianat]

lboogie,

Five years ago when I first landed on Surgical Eyes, the web site where I first found post-LASIK casualties like me, I was devastated. In fact, up until that point I knew I had dryness issues, but had not allowed myself to commit to the fact there really was a problem that would affect me indefinitely. The web site and all stories confirmed my fears and made me feel horrible.

In time as you know, I've reached a level of manageability and have adjusted to my new "normal". My constant frustration has been new patients joining this site...a blatant reminder of the risks of refractive surgery.

Today I must admit the recent news and warnings are feeling pretty darned good.

[brd888]

Stats

"A small fraction, perhaps 1 percent or fewer, suffer serious, life-changing side effects: worse vision, severe dry eye, glare, inability to drive at night. "

"About 700,000 Americans a year undergo the elective laser surgery"

But that means, in US alone, maybe 7,000 people per year face "serious, life-changing side effects".

[YGB]

"A small fraction, perhaps 1 percent or fewer, suffer serious, life-changing side effects: worse vision, severe dry eye, glare, inability to drive at night. "

"About 700,000 Americans a year undergo the elective laser surgery"

But that means, in US alone, maybe 7,000 people per year face "serious, life-changing side effects".

Who decides what is a serious, life changing side effect? I'm sure many on this board have yet to find an ophthalmologist who would term their post-LASIK dry eyes a "serious, life changing side effect".

Rather than providing spin, here's the facts. In April, 2007 researchers from Ohio State University College of Optometry published results from a review of FDA clinical trials of the 12 lasers approved for LASIK between 1998 and 2004, including newer wavefront technology.2 They reported that six months after LASIK roughly 20% of patients experienced worse or significantly worse dry eyes, and roughly 15% experienced worse or significantly worse night vision disturbances.

The answer of how many of the 20% suffered "serious, life changing side effects" is likely less than 20% range and also likely greater than 1%.

[Rebecca Petris]

Absolutely spot on, YGB.

Who decides what is a serious, life changing side effect? I'm sure many on this board have yet to find an ophthalmologist who would term their post-LASIK dry eyes a "serious, life changing side effect".

That is EXACTLY what needs so badly to be studied. That's why I'm so concerned about the survey instrument that the FDA et al are developing for their much-talked-of-but-yet-enshrouded-in-secrecy 1,200 person study covering quality of life. Somehow before they finalize the instrument it has has GOT to be validated as producing true-to-life results for real people with real serious dry eye like those on this board.

Remember during the hearing one of the ODP members complained that they were not going to include the entirety of OSDI but only one piece of it? The explanation of "well it will make the survey too long" is just not good enough. The whole of OSDI is only 12 questions, and we KNOW - from the industry's own consent forms - that dry eye is the most common problem after LASIK.

What to do, what to do

[MyDryEyes]

I have to get that PRK voice in there too!! It seems the FDA is just looking at LASIK. It seems to me that all refractive surgeries have serious consequences that are being underplayed be the industry. I am concerned about where that will leave people like me; a casualty of refractive surgery but not a LASIK patient.

[Lucy]

I am concerned about where that will leave people like me; a casualty of refractive surgery but not a LASIK patient.

We're basically in the same boat, and likely to remain there. I think, however, that publicity of any refractive surgery results which include the bad results is a big, big step. We've been waiting a long time for any acknowledgment.

[MyDryEyes]

Yes, Lucy, I agree we are all in the same boat. I know that there are many people that have been waiting for this attention; I hope might comment didn't down play the issue!!

[Rebecca Petris]

I have to get that PRK voice in there too!! It seems the FDA is just looking at LASIK. It seems to me that all refractive surgeries have serious consequences that are being underplayed be the industry. I am concerned about where that will leave people like me; a casualty of refractive surgery but not a LASIK patient.

You're right MDE. In some ways it's covered, in that many people lump all laser surgeries together under the LASIK heading. But... on the other hand, PRK carries a serious additional problem that it is often marketed as the LEAST likely of laser surgeries to cause dry eye; furthermore, the more the press starts talking up LASIK problems, the more people will be looking around for safer surgeries and they are likely to fall for the line that "PRK doesn't cause dry eye". Sort of like the line that said "Wavefront-guided LASIK eliminated all those nasty night vision problems".

Some of my earliest dry eye buddies were PRK patients in England.

[brd888]

Hmm

Back to the ""serious, life changing side effect".
You know, I think you folk should be asked "is your life better after the laser surgery"? - Would answers "no" be 1% or less?
Nevertheless 7,000 per year, with "serious"!! life changing side effects? That is a lot of people no matter what percentage.

[Raginator]

Make me feel worse? On the contrary. I feel better. Finally, the television news is taking notice. Perhaps they'll forget about it in a year. But, it's something. I feel vindicated. I'm not crazy.