Lasik Doc?????

[fiddle]

Hello everyone,
I too had the same question/concern as Brad. Can a doc who does lasik eye surgery be non-biased when treating a patient for dry eyes (one of the post lasik surgery complications for me)? I am supposed to be seeing Dr. Slomovic at the Toronto Western Eye clinic later this year, but worry that he will not be that helpful (or interested) in trying to help as he does this surgery at the TLC eye clinic in Toronto for a living. What Brad said made a lot of sense, these docs will never admit what they do for a living is actually harmful to the eyes, so how hard are they really tyring to help a patient when one goes to see them is my question?
Thank you,
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[Rebecca Petris]

The reality is that ALMOST ALL corneal specialist ophthalmologists perform LASIK and/or other refractive surgeries. A few of them really are quite good at diagnosing and treating dry eyes. In my observation over the years I think that many people with severe dry eye will not get adequate help from the surgeon who performed their own surgery for a variety of reasons but ultimately do get good help from a doctor who was not their surgeon (but performs the surgeries as part of their practice).

The challenge is not simply to find a specialist who doesn't do refractive. The challenge is to find a corneal specialist who actually LIKES corneal disease, irrespective of whether they do refractive. Might sound odd how rare this is, but it is. It's not what most people study cornea for, these days.

[Hopeful2]

Hi rebecca and fiddle,
I just got back from seeing an opthamologist today at the Ottawa University Eye Institute. And yes he too is a cornea specialist who does refractive surgery at the Ottawa General. I would have to agree with Rebecca that the trick is to find a corneal specialist who does not mind dealing with corneal disease. This is the fourth opthamologist I have seen in two months. I would have to say that I am the most impressed with him. The other doctors were all quick to install plugs and offer Restasis. This doctor took the time to explain how the cutting of the nerves disrupts the tear production feedback loop. He also explained that some MGD is part of thedisruption of the loop. I like that he actually looked at my MGs and tried to express them. I was impressed that the info he was giving me was consistent with the research that I had done here on the DEZ. For example, he said no to plugs at this point because there is infection and inflammation present in my MGs (for which he prescribed Fusidic acid). He also recommended warm compresses and drops 6X day, even if my eyes did not feel dry. My only concern is that he wanted me to wait on trying other treatments, like serum drops. While Oasis tears are the best drops I have tried, they do not always feel great in the afternoon when I am dealing with sore eyes.
I think I will call next week and ask again about the serum drops. . . . Anyway, it took some looking but I think I hit upon a doctor who knows what he is talking about and is not just trying to get me out the door. Fiddle, I know the Western hospital has a great reputation. Fiddle I sent you a PM. . . in case you are interested.

[Guest]

Hi Fiddle,

I agree with Rebecca and Bella... you could be missing out on a great doc by passing by any doc who performs refractive surgery.

Although the surgeon who performed my LASIK was of no use to me with treating my dry eyes, the doctor who I switched to in late 2009 also performs LASIK, but has been fantastic about trying to help me.

Good luck on your search!

[jenny2008]

i go to a great doc who specilaizes corneal disease-finally cauterized my upper puncta. (yeah! the stupid plug kept coming out) and yes he does Lasik as well.. He took over for my doc who retired at the Lions eye bank in Louisville where all the docs are top notch and care so much... I have found that most of the younger docs who are corneal specialists also perform lasik.. i dont think all lasik is bad if you are screened thoroughly .. i know my doc would tell someone with dry eyes that they are not a candidate.. it is awful that some of these docs dont and also sometimes bad things happen with procedures that are no fault of either party.. totally sucks..
anyway, good luck.. i would give the doc a chance.

[fiddle]

Thanks to everyone who has offered their thoughts here, it has helped me to continue to move on. I will see the docs that are in place and try to keep an open mind too. Keep you all posted on my journey from here.
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[Sammy B.]

I think sometimes the struggle is within us as well. I mean, to think about being in a waiting room surrounded by people who are considering or being prepped for LASIK surgery and then having the overwhelming feeling of wanting to lurch at them and tell them not to do it?! Yeah I no longer could deal with that.

Then there is the other side of the coin, in visiting doctors who do not perform LASIK, they tend to know the dangers of it and will ask you very pointed questions about your decision to have LASIK and will remind you of how risky and harmful it is.

Bottom line is, find someone whose office you feel comfortable in, who doesn't make you feel like a guilty idiot, and stick with them.

[fiddle]

That is good advice for sure and luckily I do have on opthamologist that is an outside guy (not part of [clinic where had lasik] that is) and he is very good with me. Never made me feel foolish for having this surgery done and he has now pointed me in other directions for more help as well.

I have had that exact feeling when sitting in the waiting room too, and just want to scream, run while you still can. I am finding the further away I get from [clinic where had lasik] the better I do, so I need to just keep doing that I suppose. The toughest part has been trying to move past it all, some days are better then others for sure.
fiddle