almost 4 years of severe dry eyes since Lasik...

[Guest]

I've been reading these boards for a long time now... every since my Lasik procedure actually... (Lasik in September 2005 and an enhancement in January 2006)

I finally decided to post here, because I have completely lost hope and I just need to get it out...

Prior to Lasik, my eyes were great - I couldn't tolerate contact lenses (due to dryness when wearing them), but as long as I didn't wear them, my eyes were perfect - I could do anything... I could be outside on the windiest of days, and experience zero discomfort... I never used artificial tears (except maybe once a year when I'd wear contacts for a special occasion).

For months after Lasik, I used artificial tears every 15 minutes... a year ago, I was down to using drops once every 1-2 hours... Since it had continued to improve up until that point, I had hope that it would get better still... but my dryness has NOT improved since then, and for the past couple of months, I've been back to using artificial tears every 10-15 minutes... my eyes are always red, burning, itching, and stinging... it sucks...

I feel so foolish for having ever decided to get Lasik... I was supposed to be able to throw away my glasses ... but now I wear sunglasses religiously when outside, and even indoors, I sometimes wear them because the feeling of air passing over my eyes as I walk is often unbearable.... I have to close eyes whenever I open a door, due to the "wind" created...how ridiculous....

I see myself in old pre-lasik pictures... I looked so much better without these red eyes... and now I feel so self-conscious when wearing my Panoptx sunglasses outdoors (the foam makes them look so goggle-like... but at least it blocks the wind...)

This just totally sucks...

I had Lasik so I could enjoy swimming (and be able to SEE while doing it), be able to walk my dog in winter without my glasses fogging up from the ski-mask I wear to keep warm, and so much more... yet all that is ruined now, because I don't dare do any of it since Lasik... I can't even go outside half the time because it's too windy (although Panoptx makes it better... but only if I use the strap that comes with it to make an airtight seal on my face... and then the joy of taking them off once indoors only to see a red imprint on my face from wearing them....)

Pre-lasik, my husband and I used to play on-line computer games all the time together (we have 2 computers for this purpose... yup... we're total nerds)... now I can't do that either, because my eyes just can't take it... I've loved video and computer games since I was a kid, but now I can't play them at all...

The lasik surgeon just tells me to keep on using artificial tears and that my eyes are doing "great!"

I've really lost all hope...

I mean, if it's been 3.5 years since my enhancement Lasik (almost 4 years since the original Lasik), and I'm using drops every 10-15 minutes, then I'm assuming this new life with dry eyes will be permanent...

This is just unbelievable to me... Prior to Lasik, I would never have been able to imagine that my eyes could be this dry and uncomfortable every minute of every day... Throw away your glasses from Lasik? What a crock... yep... I traded in my prescription glasses for goggle-like sunglasses, goggles to wear while sleeping, fish oil, endless doses of artificial tears, eyes that are constantly red and sore, and the inability to do the things I used to enjoy with ease... Honestly, I go through so much artificial tears, that the money spent on artificial tears alone since Lasik could have paid for a frigging vacation!

I'm thinking I just have to come to terms with the fact that I will likely suffer from these dry eyes forever now... I have such regret over my decision to have Lasik... if only I'd known what was in store for me... I feel so stupid for doing this to myself... what was I thinking??

...thanks for reading...

I had a good cry while writing this... at least my eyes can still makes their own tears for THAT...

[Rebecca Petris]

Dear Saag

Thanks for posting - I'm so glad you're opening up to share what's going on. Please, please don't give up hope!

The lasik surgeon just tells me to keep on using artificial tears and that my eyes are doing "great!"

That advice seriously sucks. No polite way to say that! This post is packed with evidence that you are not doing "great".

Have you consulted any other doctors? You need a doctor who is capable of listening, assessing your condition and how it is affecting you, and exploring appropriate treatments.

I mean, if it's been 3.5 years since my enhancement Lasik (almost 4 years since the original Lasik), and I'm using drops every 10-15 minutes, then I'm assuming this new life with dry eyes will be permanent...

Please do not, not, not assume that. There is a role for acceptance at the right time when there is a chronic condition, but in my opinion the time for acceptance and moving on is when the condition has been properly assessed and all available appropriate treatments have been tried. Based on your post it sure sounds like yours has NOT. There are many people here on the board who can testify to having been through many years with no improvement UNTIL they got the right treatment.

Please don't blame yourself about LASIK. There is no way you could have known, or me, or any of us. You didn't do anything to yourself. It's not your fault, by any stretch of the imagination.

[odydnas]

Hi Saag,

It pains me to read this story, and while I did not have Lasik, I can definitely relate to "closing of the eyes while I open the door." I agree with Rebecca, it sounds like you need a new doc. Do not despair, as it doesn't sound like you have tried everything yet.

The sensitivity you described to air is what some people call the "menthol sensation" and some of us have it here on DEZ. It seems as if people with meibomian gland problems are the ones that experience this sensation (purely anecdoctal). How are your meibomian glands? This is something that is often overlooked and misdiagnosed by docs. If you have oil problems, getting that managed can help bring some relief.

[sazy123]

Saag,

Im really sorry to hear this and i can really relate to all of this.

I didnt have lasik, but i did some sort of vision enhancement called Orthok (lenses you wear while you sleep, 5 days i wore them), i also was on an antidepressant at the time (1 month). So i can completely relate to eyes being completely fine (just not being able to wear contacts)- then bang severe dry eye.

Prior to Lasik, my eyes were great - I couldn't tolerate contact lenses (due to dryness when wearing them), but as long as I didn't wear them, my eyes were perfect - I could do anything... I could be outside on the windiest of days, and experience zero discomfort... I never used artificial tears (except maybe once a year when I'd wear contacts for a special occasion).

I cant stand the wind or air moving on my eyes either. and i have all the same symptoms as you.

But please look through this site, there are many treatments to try.

[Guest]

Thanks for the supportive replies everyone... I appreciate it so much! I didn't mean to be depressing...

I found an optometrist in the yellow pages who's ad said he looks after pre and post-lasik patients... he used to work at a lasik clinic, but now has his own practice...

I've had one appointment (a couple of weeks ago), and he seemed quite knowledgeable... and FINALLY, a doctor taking my dry eye seriously... I just found out recently that it IS possible to get Restasis here in Canada through Health Canada's special access program... but the optometrist said that in order to qualify, you have to try everything else first. So... he's ordered a set of punctal plugs for me to try (collagen ones... they should last approx. 1 month)... and if I don't get sufficient relief from that, he'll refer me to a corneal specialist (ophthamologist) here who has experience with getting Restasis for patients like me.

I've also been taking 3 grams of fish oil per day for the past 2 weeks, and using Tranquileyes goggles overnight for approx. 1.5 weeks... I figure it can't hurt, and if it helps, then it's a bonus. The fish oil I will use indefinitely, as I tolerate it just fine... the goggles I'll try for a couple of months, then decide if they've helped or not... we'll see... So far, I haven't noticed any difference though...

I just feel so pessimistic... What with me using artificial tears every 15 minutes again, I just can't fathom how anything can bring me back to a state remotely resembling normalcy (ie. my pre-lasik eyes)... That being said, if I could get to using artificial tears maybe only once every 4 hours or so, then I'd at least feel somewhat normal... but I seriously wonder if that will ever be possible for me...

Also, I have a great deal of concern about using cyclosporine drops potentially long term... there are so many adverse effects when it's taken as an immunosuppressant by mouth (increased skin cancer risk, for one...), that I wonder what will happen from using it long term in the eye... I mean, if taking it by mouth can lead to skin cancer, what about applying directly to the eyeball, and having it touch all of the skin around there?? What will happen long term from doing THAT? I've found a small info on medium-term use (ex. a case study of someone using it for 4 years)... but what about using it for 10 years? 20 years? I don't think it's been on the market that long, so I suppose nobody knows... but it worries me...

I feel rather bitter towards the lasik surgeon these days... I specifically asked him prior to getting Lasik if my intolerance to contacts could be dry eye, and therefore Lasik might not be a good idea for me... but he said as long as my eyes aren't dry without contacts, then lasik will be fine... him being the doctor, I trusted him... BIG mistake there...

And an FAQ from his website:

"Will my eyes be dry after LASIK?

Some people feel the eyes are drier after lasik. It is advisable to use tear drops frequently for a period after surgery until the eye recovers its normal tear function. This may vary from person to person."

The bold type is my doing... does this phrase not imply that the eye WILL recover it's normal tear function? I mean honestly... is the surgeon just clueless about this (no excuse for that!), or worse, is he just lying to people?? I don't get it... I really don't...

Bleh... another long rambling post... they'll get shorter... I swear...

[odydnas]

Hi Saag,

I'm so glad you were able to find a knowledgeable doctor that took your dry eyes seriously! That is often the first hurdle of DE....very frustrating!

As for cyclosporine, I wouldn't worry about the effects of long term use too much. It hasn't been used on the eye for very long, so I guess studies about its long term use are still going on. I do remember a post where Dr. Latkany said that it should not cause eye cancer. But I mean, there are a lot of drugs we take w/o knowing the long term use, like certain birth control pills/methods. There are many things that we do that lead to increased cancer risk, like sunbathing or eating unhealthy, but many people don't think about that. So I think that perhaps we should not jump too far ahead of ourselves. Try the plugs first, and then Restasis, and go on from there. Besides we have no idea how long you will be using Restasis anyways...so its probably more healthy mentally to take things as they come.

Did your doc mention anything about your eyelids and meibomian glands? And do you happen to know anything about your TBUT score? I ask because MGD often goes undiagnosed and can cause tremendous pain and may be exacerbating your dryness.

[msienkiewicz]

SAAG,

I can't even imagine having to put drops in every 15 minutes. I thought every hour and half was too much. Have you tried lacriserts? They have helped me tremendously.

Melissa

[Bennys]

A fellow sufferer

Just to let you know - you are not alone! I had Lasik in 2002 and my life has not been the same since. Your story is EXACTLY like mine. I know the extreme discomfort and pain related to this condition. I can't even work anymore, which is certainly something I never anticipated. My perseverance comes from knowing that there are others out there in the same situation and knowing there are excellent and caring doctors working on a "cure" or at least something to alleviate the suffering. You might want to consider an antidepressant. I was afraid to take antidepressants because of the dry eye effect but the doctor I am currently seeing believes that the pain pathways in the brain are overactive due to the pain and that the antidepressants redirect the nerve pathways, thus alleviating some of the discomfort. It has helped me at least 50%. Just something you might want to consider. Keep searching for a doctor who will work with you! Good luck!

[Guest]

Odydnas,

I've had moments where I've thought the same as you about Restasis... I think I'll have to try to have more of those heehee... better than obsessing about all the bad things the MIGHT happen if I use it... and you're right... there's no knowing for sure how long I'd need to use it anyhow...

The optometrist didn't mention anything to me about MGD... I'll have to ask him about that when I see him next. In the mean time, I made a rice baggy, and have been doing the whole hot compress/cleaning thing as described in Dr. Latkany's book for the past 3 nights... I'll keep it up for a few months to see if it makes any difference...

msienkiewicz,

I don't think Lacriserts are available here in Canada... but I suppose if I was desperate, maybe I could get those via the Special Access Program too... I guess I'll have to wait until I end up seeing the corneal specialist to inquire about that...(which will probably be months from now... waiting lists are often long here...)

Bennys,

Thanks for your thoughts! Believe it or not, I've always been a super happy person... and even despite this dry eye from lasik, I manage to be happy most of the time... but this current flare up has freaked me out because it's put me right back where I started immediately after my Lasik procedure... /sigh...

Anyhow, for now, I'm going to see if I can get back to being mostly happy again on my own... I don't want to deal with the potential side effects of antidepressants, or the added expense of taking them ... I'm pretty sure I'll be able to climb out of this emotional pit I've been in lately... I just need time to get over being "freaked out" over this latest flare up... but if by some chance I can't snap out of this on my own, I may have to re-consider of course... And... the 50% improvement in discomfort you experienced?!?! That's awesome! May I ask which medication they put you on?

It helps SO much to be able to talk to other people out there who can understand what this is like... If you happen to read this Rebecca, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU for creating and maintaining this site... it is truly a god-send!

[msienkiewicz]

SAAG,

Do get the restasis and use it. It has helped me tremendously as I have just outlined on another post. It started by rebuilding my tear film which was probably nothing as the burning was so bad. Then the tears started to come back. It has also helped to reduce the inflammation and redness. I don't think I could get by without it. The lacriserts were a great option during those months of waiting for the restasis to kick in as I didn't have to add drops so often. I have been wearing the lacriserts less but as needed.

I am sorry that you have suffered for so long, but realize how thankful I am for the medicines that we have readily available to us. I can't imagine being "stuck" where I was three months ago. Things have improved, and I credit a lot of that to the restasis.

Best wishes,
Melissa

[Guest]

Well, got extended wear (60-90 day) collagen plugs put in my lower ducts last Thursday. The optometrist says in reality, after 1 month most people notice they no longer work as well, and start to be noticeable wearing off.

Good news: getting the plugs put in was no big deal... I was nervous about it, but it went just fine... didn't feel a thing... a bit of discomfort (stinging, sort of) when the anesthetic drops started to wear off, but by the next morning, all was back to normal.

My left eye is no longer itchy, and the white of my eye is actually white again. I still need drops every 30-60 minutes for the left eye though (but prior to plugs, I needed drops every 15 minutes, so this is an improvement).

Bad news:
My right eye still feels the same: itchy, scratchy, gritty, red... and still need drops every 10-15 minutes.

I can't wait until I can get in to see the corneal specialist...

[Guest]

Another small update...

I started wearing my Panoptx sunglasses with the light-adjusting lenses even indoors. It makes a huge difference in how my eyes feel by the end of the day (I still need drops all the time, but my eyes don't burn and itch, at least...). I just ordered the onion goggles from this site... I'm hoping they look a bit better than the Panoptx do...

I tried on a pair of Wiley X (Air-rage model) yesterday and bought them... OMG!!! When wearing them, they look pretty much like normal sunglasses... you barely notice the foam gasket in there... i LOVE it!!!! Thank god!! I found myself painfully self-conscious when wearing the Panoptx sunglasses, because the gasket is so big... they look rather odd... Now that I have the Wiley X's, at least the consmetic problem is solved. YAY!

Now I just need to find a pair of non-prescription glasses to wear indoors that will block the air movement, and still look half-decent...

Last but not least, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read, so it's been driving me NUTS to have to give that up (due to it making my eyes WAY too dry)... The good news is that thanks to my husband, I've started to listen to audiobooks... they are freaking AWESOME!! Just as good as reading the old-fashioned way... I can download them free via an on-line public library, or go into our local library and get the CD versions... yahoo!!!

Anyhow, I'm not crying about this nearly as much these days... /deep breath... as you all know and can relate to, this still totally sucks, but at least I'm adjusting better to it now...

[Gretchen]

Great News

Hi SAAG -

This is such great news. I too love my Wiley's - they enable me to work the 8 hours on the computer that is required for my job.

I wish you continued progress and keep us updated.
Gretchen

[Guest]

Well, I had my follow-up appt. with the optometrist so he could find out how I was doing with the plugs...

He's sending me to see the corneal specialist... but doesn't expect me to get an appt. until October.

/sigh... it's so hard to wait when my life feels like it's been turned upside down because of all this....

I think that day I posted about the left eye being so much improved was a fluke... it's back to every 15 minutes or so... BUT, my eyes haven't been burning as much... not sure if this is because I'm doing cold compresses so much, or because I'm wearing onion goggles indoors most of the day, or if it's the plugs... I guess now that the plugs should be starting to dissolve away more, if things get worse, I'll know the plugs were actually helping.

[bernmee]

SAAG,

Dry eye is not like having a cold or a flu, were you feel like crap and then slowly start to get better. There will be many many ups and downs and bumps as you find what works for you in your healing. Bein prepared for this will make things easier.

Looking back through your post it looks like you have made a couple of break throughs in just a couple of weeks, after 4 years of very little help. This is great, and I'm sure you will continue to improve. It will be slow but it will happen.

Keep well,

B.