What is considered 'failed corneal debridement' surgery?

[bodybuilder1958]

Posted a couple of times about my corneal debridement surgery and the problems I'm having and they still persist. The light sensitivity has gotten worse, my eye doctor took two days to call me back about being seen. I couldn't drive to their office yesterday when they finally called, they only gave me an hour notice and I live 45 minutes away so I had to say no. The eye feels swollen when I close my eyes. Monday I am calling my eye doctor and getting a referral to see a different specialist.

But my question is what is considered a failed corneal debridement surgery? I'm nearly 3 weeks out, vision sucks, left pupil is often considerably larger than the right. (surgery on left eye) I hope it improves but now I'm stuck in my house with the curtains closed, don't go outside unless I have no choice. Kind of sucks.

[peter56]

Hi,
I don`t know, where you are living.
The best treatment for acute corneal erosions and failed corneal debridment
is the placement of an amniotic membrane onto the cornea.
Sutureless using a fibrin adhesive.

More expensive!
ProKera or AmnioGraft from:

http://www.biotissue.com
At
http://www.osref.org
there are videos - how to do it guides for ophthalmologists.

All leading experts will be at the ARVO conference in Ft. Lauderdale from 6-10th may.

Also more efficient than bandage lenses are collagen shields from Oasis.

[spmcc]

I don't know what you've been told to do post-operatively, but I was wondering if your doctor has told you to use preservative-free OTC drops but then prescribed you prescription drops WITH preservatives. Perhaps you can re-examine what you're putting in your eyes post-op to see if they're causing you more trouble?

Good luck with your healing!

[bodybuilder1958]

Thank you for your replies

I live NW of Wichita, ks. I have used only preservative free eye drops since the original diagnosis in 2004. When the bandaid contact lens was taken off I was told that I was 75% healed. The eye at that time was doing pretty good, no real discomfort, mild light sensitivity. Three days after that the eye was still doing pretty good, don't know what changed it. Back to wearing 2 pairs of sunglasses when I go outside, my glasses tent naturally and it's never enough. Next week I try to find another surgeon to take over my case, very frustrated.

Thanks again,
bodybuilder1958

[peter56]

Hi Bodybuilder,
it seems, that you are suffering a severe corneal reepithelialization failure!
Corenal debridment means, that they are using a diamond burr or PTK for a superficail keratectomy. Removing the corneal epithelial down to the bowman membrane. In healthy, non dry eyes the limbal stem cells let regrow a new clear epithelial within a few days.
So during every blink, you upper eyelid will rub on the bare bowman membrane causing mechanical irritations and inflammation and the over-growing epithelial will be not very clear and stable.
Removing the epithelial means, the eye does lose it`s barrier protection until the reepithelialization is finished.

So please get ASAP a gel, like Vidisik-gel and place the gel every 10-15 min into you eye.

Then try to get some Ciba Air Optix Night&Day one month lenses!
You do need urgently a protection for the cornea-bowman membrane!
Apply the gel also on the air-optix lens every 4 hours during the night.

It was not a good idea, performing a debridment in a dry eye without placing an amniotic membrane on top of the wound!

Every eye hospital or corneal expert in KS, should be able applying the ProKera-AnmioGraft or a simple amniotic membrane patch.

[liz56]

I hope you're faring better today, Bodybuilder.

Although I'm no longer suffering from RCEs, I really appreciate Peter's posts. I know nothing of a "ProKera-AnmioGraft or a simple amniotic membrane patch," but I'm off to read up on these alternatives. They sound promising.

--Liz