Hello from PA

[TSP13]

Hello. I just signed up for this forum in the hopes of learning from others w/ similar problems to mine. I am 38 years old, have clogged eyelid ducts, dry eye, and had lasik 8 months ago. I am doing lid scrubs (baby shampoo), warm compresses, taking prescription to thin oil production in eyelid glands, using drops, and using TranquilEyes occasionally. My vision was 20/50 in both eyes w/ astigmatism. I now have 20/20 vision in my right eye, & 20/15 vision in my left eye. My eyes do not feel dry to me, but with the blockage apparently they are. I am not sorry I had the procedure. I enjoy not having to wear prescription lenses anymore. I did not think I would have to do lid scrubs, compresses, drops, etc. for the rest of my natural life.

[Lucy]

Hi TSP13.
You will find a goldmine of information on this forum with great detail just from people who are having the same problem(s) you report. Lasik is responsible for the onset of dry eyes with some of us.

You are 8 months post-op and very unlikely will you have to do "lid scrubs the rest of your life." This stuff is very hard to correct, however, and many have been suffering and 'lid scrubbing, eye dropping" for a long time. Best to continue your regimen and try to keep the beast at bay. Many people take Omega 3 supplement. (This is scattered throughout the board.) Welcome and good luck.

[TSP13]

Thanks Lucy! I am already finding vast amounts of information I haven't heard of before now. This is a truly valuable forum. I appreciate you taking the time to make me feel welcome.

[YGB]

I am not sorry I had the procedure (LASIK). I enjoy not having to wear prescription lenses anymore. I did not think I would have to do lid scrubs, compresses, drops, etc. for the rest of my natural life.

Tammy - sorry that you have dry eyes, but I am glad that you are symptom free. I agree with Lucy that it is important that you stay diligent in your treatment since dry eye signs and symptoms have 4 stages (mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe) and it sounds like you are in stage 1-mild. You want to keep the dry eye symptoms from moving into stages 2 through 4 because your road to recovery will be significantly slowed if this occurs.

Also, please do not take this the wrong way, but I have taken an interest in LASIK and the potential damage that it can do that many patients were unaware of prior to LASIK. My question to you is this ... If somebody came to you today and said that instead of being 8 months post-LASIK doing lid scrubs, compresses, drops, etc. that they could send you in a time warp back to the day when you needed prescription lenses without post-LASIK issues, would you take that offer or choose to be where you are at today? I know that at this point, you have dry eyes and are symptom free and your outlook is likely good, but do you really still think LASIK was worth it? Would you recommend it to a friend based on your experience to date?

Your post was interesting and I was hoping that you could give my questions some thought. I will certainly respect your answers and I wish you the best with your recovery. Thanks.

[jmdpooh]

I suddenly started dry eye a couple of years ago, but had it under control after a lengthy regime of Restasis and plugs. Then, 4 months ago ... I had Custom Lasik. Since I was severely near-sighted, the transformation has been wonderful. I don't have great distance vision, but I can see people smile from across the room ... I can legally drive during the daytime without glasses ... I don't panic with worry about losing my glasses or being stranded without them ... I can go in the pool and see my son swimming at a distance, etc. I wear glasses for shopping, driving, watching tv, but I am not so dependent on them anymore. However, dry eye has made a fierce comeback. The optician doing my follow-up Lasik care, managed to get plugs in and put me back on Restasis and other tears. However, I have been miserable ... by the end of the day, I have trouble seeing to read, etc. In trying to get an appt with a former opthmalogist, the receptionist suggested I see the corneal dr instead who happened to have an opening. He has now advised me that I am actually making tears ok, but they evaporate too fast ... and that the oil glands are inflamed. So now I have added the warm compresses and lid cleaning routine. He hadn't provided a name for this condition, but I am learning from the rest of you. I'm using SteriLid ... will let you know how this goes. Is this useful to others? I don't regret Lasik at all. Hopefully, I can get the dry eye under control soon ... I don't care if I must do maintenance the rest of my life ... just need hope that I can get it under control. I believe my vision would be so much better ... if only I could heal. At this point, I don't think I want to do an enhancement to sharpen my vision.

[TSP13]

I have to say I did an immense amount of research before I had lasik. I am one of those people who does not like surprises. I may have postponed having lasik if I had known then what I know now, but I ultimately would have gone ahead with the procedure. I do know I am one of the lucky ones, I know some who have had horrible, irreversable results. I was so excited the morning after surgery to wake up & be able to clearly see 3 doe standing in my back yard eating! Sounds crazy but after only seeing brown shapes without glasses, I cried! I will tell you the procedure was far more painful than I had anticipated! Others told me no big deal. I thought I was going to lose my mind! I literally prayed for help. Also, for jmdpooh...good luck with the doctor, specialist, and plugs. It is hard to find a compassionate doctor these days. Most want to drug you & shove you out the door. I will not volunteer to have plugs put in ever again!! I thought that was as bad as the lasik itself! I am either a huge baby or my nerves got the better of me!