update - 4 weeks out -I was wrong

[dianat]

My post-LASIK dry eye friend had trouble with burning with Restasis as well. He finally opted for just using it at night only. He claims to have experienced benefit from it even with only one dose per day.

[chickenlittle]

thanks guys for all the tips. I will try Dwelle. It seems like burning and irritation are getting worse, which is odd since I got plugs on Friday. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's very hard. I started refridgerating the Restasis last week, but I didn't put drops in prior. I'll try that. I'm trying to use only Optive drops only every 2 hours or should I just load up when I feel irritated,? which is literally - every 30 minutes. I'm 43, but I wasn't aware of any auto-immune or peri-menapausal or dryness issues prior to my surgery - except I probably wasn't hydrated enough. Discouraged today. I am looking forward to meeting Dr Foulks so he can explain what is happening to me.

[chapman]

I am also a patient of Dr. Foulk's. He was the only one who would listen to me, and really explain what was going on with me. He has me on Restatsis, FresKote and Optive. I also use GenTeal gel at night before I go to bed. I also do the warm rice bag and lid message.


It took me a while to stop beating myself up over having lasik surgery. But I have come to terms with it....my 4 year journey has been bitter sweet. Please give yourself time to heal.

PS. Dr. Foulks is a busy man and sometime he may seem rushed. Just look him in the eye and keep asking him your questions and he'll slow down.

[Natalie06]

Restasis

ChickenLittle,

Have you tried chilling your restsis in the fridge? Just keep the vials in there. While I can't use it for other reasons, chilling it did help me with the stinging and burning. Also, try using the Thera tears (or whatever drops you find the most soothing) about 5 minutes before you instill the restasis. I found that putting restasis directly on a really dry surface very irritating.

Natalie

[Rebecca Petris]

I wasn't sure what was working so I was throwing everything at it. Dakrina seems too thick for me - it sticks to my lashes and then they itch. I just didn't know if Optive or Systane were the best to go with.

With Dakrina, try putting in a very small drop and then immediately blotting, or wipe the lashes gently with a damp cloth. (Or try Dwelle instead - it's the same product minus the Vitamin A.)

Some people like Optive, some people Systane, some both. I sure agree with not mixing things around too much. Try one or two drops and stick when them for awhile to give them a good chance.

[chickenlittle]

overload

I wasn't sure what was working so I was throwing everything at it. Dakrina seems too thick for me - it sticks to my lashes and then they itch. I just didn't know if Optive or Systane were the best to go with.

[Lucy]

Chickenlittle-Seems to me you are using too many different kind of drops. Why not NutraTear after Dakrina? Or perhaps just straight to NutraTear after the Restasis? NutraTear is nice for cutting the thicker drops.

If you like NutraTear and Dakrina, why the Bion and TheraTears? Or, if these two do a good job, why not these instead of Dakrina and NutraTear?

I'm trying to simplify your drops regimen. Then your doc gave you Octiva and systane?? To start with, don't add those to the mix. Save them for later when you're better controlled and just need moisture drops.

Look at your schedule and try to think how you could cut down on the number of drops your using. I don't know how you would know if anything is helping with all these. You don't have to answer me, of course! But looking at this, I'm sure most would say it's a lot of different things. If you go to less, then you'll have a better idea, perhaps, what's helping. Keep up the spirits chicken L. We're rooting for you.
Lucy

P.S. That would be a no for Lacriserts. I've tried them twice and they were just like a blob of jello in my eyes. Since you are just new from surgery, it would be a bad idea for you to put something like this in your eyes. You'd probably have a nice burn from them.

[chickenlittle]

follow up

Thanks Diana, Lucy and Natalie.
I am going to report him. I am also going to get my records next week.

I'm hoping someone can help me with a few questions.. The lower permanent plugs I received on Friday are so irritating. Can these be easily removed if necessary and if I get incredibly lucky down the road - can I get by without them? Do you ever get used to them - a question of time, or any alternative - those lacracerts any better? I have no idea what he gave me, except to say they were permanent. I'll have Dr Folks look at them. They are hard to get used to.

Also restasis seems to keep my eyes slightly burning througout the day - I'm still trying

My routine is - 2 Tbs complete omega
4 BioTears daily, Greens superfood, 1 glass a day

restasis am
dakrina drops, they are real thick on me, so I follow with Similasian homepathic drops 5 minutes later??
Bion tears as needed
Nutra-Tear as needed

Dr gave me Systane and Optive, but not sure if I should use with other

restasis before bed
tranquileyes

Anyone have any luck with accupuncture? I guess if anything, good for anxiety and stress.

[Natalie06]

Chicken Little

Please consider reporting your surgeon to your state medical board and or the American Academy of Ophthalmology (If he is a member which the vast majority are) at some point.

As Rebecca said:
"Dry eye testing before lasik unnecessary" = REALLY BAD SIGN, this is CONTRADICTORY TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS, MEDICAL LITERATURE AND COMMON SENSE. If those were his words, well, a surgeon who could look you in the eye and say is not merely a waste of time for you, he's a live hazard for other patients. With such a doctor, I would return only for perfunctory pre-scheduled follow-up appointments so that they can't put you down as a no-show - but other than those, I would never return, and when I was beyond the stressful part of this whole business I would write a potent letter of complaint to the practice manager urging them to bring their pre-operative testing up to industry standards."

If they did this to you they are going to do this to others. I can speak from experience that my surgeon and his practice have had to change their screening and informed consent practices based on the complaints that I submitted. You can try appealing to him personally and directly but given his reponse to your plight so far, I wouldn't hold your breath.

I also understand what a difficult situation this puts you in as you are still in his care. I walked away from my surgeon for the last time 3 months after my Lasik when he decided to tell me then that I had ocular rosacea. I would highly encourage you to document everything they said/say to you and if you leave his care, put it in writing why you are doing so.

As far as being "atypical"? That's not necessarily true and they all seem to say that. Without knowing your medical or ocular history, it's hard to determine if you were at elevated risk. But of the 3 women I know who had surgery at the same practice as I did, 2 of us who had "risk" factors for severe/chronic dry eye have chronic/severe dry eyes. That sure does not add up to any statistics I keep hearing.

I don't want to scare you because it can get better in the next few months as you heal. And I think seeing a physician who specializes in dry eye is an excellent plan.

Please feel free to PM me if you need to vent or whatever. I feel your pain.

Natalie
Lasik induced severe dry eye 7/14/06

PS: I would get your records from your Lasik surgeon to bring with you to your appointment with Dr. Foulks.

[Lucy]

Chicken (I love that) you might tell him your opinion. You should also consider if you're going to use this doc to help you manage things for a bit. Usually a year of care is included in the price. For me, it was a win situation for me because my doc treated me for 3 years on my lasik charges. I say win, because I saw him every week or two the whole time and he didn't charge me. However, my vision is for S**t, my eyes are still dry and sore years later. He lost $$ on me because I more than cost him the $4400 in chair time after the surgery. Some people can't understand how I continue to use him. Well, sometimes I don't either, but I need a doc who will see me in an emergency and knows my history.

I have yelled at my doc, cried tears all over his floor, and blamed him for this mess all in his office. I have talked to other patients in the waiting room and told them not to have this surgery.

What Diana says about the letter: I've done numerous interviews over 8 years plus written lots of letters. At least two were printed in my local paper. The edited the crap out of them though. If it will make you feel better, go ahead and warn others. My doc might lurk here. Hi butch.
Lucy

PS. He didn't check me for dry eyes either.

I just read what Rebecca read for returning to this doc. I agree and that's what I was trying to say. Get your scheduled visits in. Good advice Rebecca. I was also entitled to an enhancement within a year. No thanks.

[dianat]

CL-

...a quick note to your local newspaper wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

I think the only other good reason for seeing this surgeon of yours is so that he can realize that you are a statistic. My surgeon told me time would solve my issues. I stopped going in to see him when it became too upsetting and a complete waste of time. Unless he's lurking here (and wouldn't that be something?!) he probably thinks I'm fine. That bothers me.

I really should send him a letter to update him. The problem with that is that I'm reasonably healthy in terms of my mental state right now that I hate to shake things up for myself.

D

[chickenlittle]

Too cute

Rebecca, thanks for pic - she's too cute. If they came in pink, my daughter would probably wear them too!

Frankly, I felt like he was a pompus (sp?) ass. It was Friday, and the last thing he wanted to deal with was a problem patient. I WILL get the word out regarding their lack of pre-testing dry eye conditions prior to surgery.

[Rebecca Petris]

Here's a pic of my 5-year-old in a pair of Tranquileyes... she adores them.

The surgeon is a complete waste of time for me. Yesterday, I asked if he tested patients for dry eyes prior to lasik and he said it was'nt necessary!!! Plus, when I asked if he had other patients like me, he said no. I was atypical.

"You are atypical" = fair enough. It's true.

"Dry eye testing before lasik unnecessary" = REALLY BAD SIGN, this is CONTRADICTORY TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS, MEDICAL LITERATURE AND COMMON SENSE. If those were his words, well, a surgeon who could look you in the eye and say is not merely a waste of time for you, he's a live hazard for other patients. With such a doctor, I would return only for perfunctory pre-scheduled follow-up appointments so that they can't put you down as a no-show - but other than those, I would never return, and when I was beyond the stressful part of this whole business I would write a potent letter of complaint to the practice manager urging them to bring their pre-operative testing up to industry standards.

That kind of thing really pisses me off.

[chickenlittle]

Saturday

Thanks Lucy and Diana - It really helps knowing I'm not alone in this.

Last night, my 5 year old little guy said the tranquil eyes scared him. I just said I was a big blue butterfly with big blue eyes, and that made him laugh and he was okay.

I just am having such a hard time adjusting to a new normal.

The surgeon is a complete waste of time for me. Yesterday, I asked if he tested patients for dry eyes prior to lasik and he said it was'nt necessary!!! Plus, when I asked if he had other patients like me, he said no. I was atypical.

It's so bizarre because I get in a state of shock when I'm there,and I can't respond to his complete disregard of my feelings or condition. It's only later when I've processed it, that I lose it.

[dianat]

CL,

I think our LASIK surgeons were schooled at the same place. You should NOT be happy with your results. That's ridiculous. Mine told me during a mild panic attack in his office that I, "Need to be looking at other parts of my life." I wish my husband had assaulted him just then. Can't say how he managed to abstain.

I'm glad to know you are getting meds to help you through this. This post-LASIK trauma is very, very hard on the psych...we've all been there. I too had young children to tend to. It was a horrible struggle laden with anxiety, guilt and helplessness.

Please know that you are so early in your journey that things will change a lot for you. It will get better in time and you will live your life again as you did.

Lucy is correct you need to rest and take care of yourself. Seek distractions that are easy on the eyes. Audio books, music, see a movie with your goggles on...

Best of luck to you and keep us posted. Don't let your surgeon walk all over you. I had to leave his office behind when I realized I was getting nowhere.

I'm a patient of Dr. Foulks. I hope he is of some help to you.

Diana