responses to a former user's question on tarsorrhaphy

[odydnas]

Hi! Before you look into tarsorrhaphy, have you exhausted ALL treatment options?

Such as pain medication, moisture chambers, scleral lenses, serum drops, etc.

[Bwilderlk]

Tarsorrhaphy

Please, listen to me! DO NOT have this surgery done! I had a facelift with upper and lowers eyes, and for some unknow reason my doctor did a permant lateral tarsorrhaphy on both eyes. I had memtioned it was getting hard to wear my contents for over 3 or 4 hours, and that was the only time it was mentioned. Naturally, my eyes were bruised and swollen for several days......as was my face. I had noticed the lateral corners didn't look quite right. Went to the doctor and he said was just from the surgery. I went thru absolute hell for months!! The horrible itching and "pulling" sensation of my eyes was unbearable. He had sutured the lateral corners so tightly (removing the skin and eyelashing line on top and bottom and then stitching together. My eyes were so tight I couldn't, at first, pull my eyes open enough to even put my contacts in.

Bottom line, I barely have any white showing between the colored part of my eye to the lateral side. If I turn my head and try to talk to you, my pupil almost disappears. I shpwed the doctor what I was talking about, and he told me to remember to always look straight ahead when talking to people!!!!!

That was about 4 years ago. The pain is gone and I've gotten used to the tight feeling, but my eyes look gastly. I try to put dark shadow on the outsides of my eyes in the hopes it disguises in some way, but I know it doesn't.

I had begged my doctor to please slit the corners of my eyes, but he refused. One day I got a razor blade and was going to slit/open them up myself, but my husband talked me out of it. I called crying to his office, begging him to please find a surgeon somewhere who could partially correct this. He finally baned me from his office and stated I was no longer a patient of his and to never call his office or he would file charges against me.

His reason for murdering my eyes? He was trying to fix my dry eyes. I NEVER discussed a surgery for that! I think he got me confused with another patient!

I have now ended up with dead snake eyes. Almost unbearable, and very rarely "dress up" for parties. It has ruined my life.

Don't do it!!!!
Thank you,
Beverly
Lexington, KY

[Rebecca Petris]

Beverly,

That's a horrifying, dreadful story. I'm sorry. Have you sought any form of redress for this? Doctors can't perform surgery without proof of informed consent and that obviously wasn't the case. Doctors also can't "fire" patients in the manner you described.

Have you consulted another doctor about reversing the tarsorrhaphy? If not, I hope you will. I know many people who have had it reversed.

I think there is very rarely any reason for a tarsorrhaphy these days even in the severest dry eye cases. There are much better alternative non invasive treatments.

[Mawsky]

how dreadful

so sorry to hear of the experience that you had at the hands of that surgeon obviously this was malpractice...the oath is to do no harm, and surly you were harmed at his hands, and than to not offer any help, frankly I don't think I would seek this dr to "fix" the wrong. Hope you are looking for another that may help. Very glad to hear that this operation, when done correctly has a possitive outcome.

[Amy A]

Beverly,

Please contact me. My name is Amy Amodeo. I live in Clearwater, FL. I too had my eyes made too small and have very little lateral white triangle. I am working with a surgeon in LA. Maybe he can help you too. my personal email is amya1968@yahoo.com or call me at 727 4171282. I know this is traumatizing. My eyeslids are deformed and the skin around them is deformed too. Please contact me. Amy