Dry eyes and lasik

[qbcoach]

First, I would like to say that I am more than a little freaked out reading the posts on here. My eyes are dry, but I didnt realize it could get so bad. Im 22 and healthy. I have worn contacts my whole life and never had a problem. about 6 months ago I decided to change brands because the new ones supposedly let more oxygen get through. My eyes have always been a little red when I wore contacts (maybe that was dry eye) Anyway, I felt like I got something in one eye. I couldnt stand to have a contact in for more than 2 seconds after that. The DR said I had an abrasion or w/e. I didnt wear them for awhile and then I started trying again and after wearing them for more than a few hours my eyes would get dry and irritated. I stopped wearing them and tried visine and all that. I went to a different doctor and he said I had an allergy irritation and gave me steriod and allergy drops. My eyes got better but never felt 100%. I went back and he told me I was good to go and I could start wearing my contacts again. They were fine for a week or so but I could slowly feel them getting worse again. I went back and got antibiotics that did nothing. I went back again and got more steriod drops and they got a little better but not as good as the first time. I havent worn my contacts in awhile and my eyes still bother me when I read or type long messages on the computer...like now. They dont bother me all of the time though. I havent seen any posts about different eyelid conditions so I was hopeing I could get some feedback on that. My DR told me that my outlids flip out real easy and also that I could have an incomplete blink. I tried to sleep with something covering my eyes, but no matter what I try I cant make it through the whole night with it on. Im going to video tape myself sleeping so I can see what Im doing with my eyes. They are really irritated when I wake up. I have always had weird sleep habits...I used to sleep walk, now I talk a lot, and im pretty sure im doing something crazy with my eyes. Im scheduled to have lasik in 2 days and I have to say that Im more than a little worried about it. My DR said everything looked great even after I repeatedly mentioned my eyes being irritated. Im afraid they just want to get me in and out and get my money. I have seen a lot of different tests mentioned to figure out what kind of dry eyes I have or if I even have it. Funny that none of the 4 Dr's I've seen have mentioned or tried any of these. I've lost a lot of respect for optometrists and opthamalogists in the last few months. Kind of makes me wonder what they do in med school the whole time. it cant just be....which is better 1 or 2???

[sazy123]

Hiya and welcome

I just want to say CANCEL YOUR LASIK APPOINTMENT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR DRY UNDER CONTROL FIRST. Trust me you will probaly be having alot more problems with severe dry eye. Read peoples posts who have had lasik, 'diana' in your story.

You cant go back, and turn back time, but you can do something now, you are lucky to find this site before you went ahead with it.

Seriously reconsider. Sorry if this sound like im trying to scare you.. But contact lense intolerance is a red flag..

Oh i am also 22 i have severe dry eye due to contacts and a med.
You will find lots of good info about treatment on this site, have you considered tranquil eyes to use at night time?

[Julie1]

DON'T HAVE LASIK!!!!


Sorry, but I just read your post and I really think you should postpone (or even cancel) your plans to have LASIK until the dry eye issues are under control. It sounds like you already have dry eye and LASIK can certainly make dry eye problems much, much worse.

I did not have LASIK, but there are many people on the forum that have had LASIK, and they will probably be chiming in soon.

[dianat]

QBCoach,

Please, postpone your LASIK appt. and give it more thought. Spend time on this web site. Your eyes are dry...probably from extended use of contact lenses. LASIK will only exacerbate your problem. I did not have any discomfort prior to my surgery and my post-surgery life has been painful. Yes, painful.

Please, please reconsider your surgery. There are so many great frames out there. Treat yourself to a few pairs and skip the surgery.

Do read the "Your Dry Eye Story" forum. There are some frightening LASIK stories in there. Start with this one:

http://www.dryeyezone.com/talk/showthread.php?t=53

[Jade9923]

You would be out of your mind to go through with the lasix. Do not do it.

[Natalie06]

Jade

I was contact lens intolerant, had itchy, irritated eyes, blurry vision after reading and computer use, was told my eyes "looked fine", my Lasik surgeon did no pre-testing or pre-treatment for dry eye and today I am miserable.

Pre-exisiting dry eyes are a high risk factor for severe and/or chronic dry eye after Lasik and you are raising all the red flags. Please wait on the Lasik until you have seen a corneal specialist who can diagnose the various factors for your underlying eye issues. Please.

You found this board before the surgery and I so wish I had. Being in constant pain, having to limit all of my activities, spending $20.00 a week on eyedrops (nver mind prescriptions) and constant visits to the eye doc at $30.00 a visit is no picnic.

Lasik will still be there in 6 months but you can't count on a "cure" for dry eyes or we wouldn't all be here. And if your Lasik surgeon is not doing any pre testing or is "promising" he/she can keep you comfortable with Restasis (very expensive and you may need it forever), punctal plugs, etc. find another Lasik surgeon. Or make him/her sign a release that they will pay for all your ongoing medical care if you develop full blown DES.

Natalie
Lasik induced severe dry eye 7/14/06

[Judy]

JUST SAY NO to LASIK, PLEASE!!! At least until you have more time to think about this and research it. I remember when LASIK first came about, my opth always used to say he was waiting until the technology improved, etc. Then all of a sudden (after many years, of course), I was in for my checkup and my eyes were ugly bloodshot and very very dry and he started talking about LASIK. He said what we could do was to "whiten" up my eyes with eyedrops prior to the surgery, then go for it and things would be just fine. Thank GOD I did not do this. I am vain and hate wearing my glasses (and cannot see without them), but I am so thankful I did not have LASIK. My eyes were hurting pretty much 24/7 due to dry eye, along with periods of itching, extreme burning and many infections!! Now that I have so many tools/treatments for dry eyes (most of which I learned about from this website), things are definitely better than they were for awhile. But the thought of my pain increasing does not appeal to me at all.

[Rebecca Petris]

Dear qbcoach,

1. You've given an excellent long list of indications that you have unresolved issues here, possibly/probably dry eye:

My eyes are dry....
My eyes have always been a little red when I wore contacts (maybe that was dry eye)....
Anyway, I felt like I got something in one eye. I couldnt stand to have a contact in for more than 2 seconds after that....
My eyes got better but never felt 100%....
I havent worn my contacts in awhile and my eyes still bother me when I read or type long messages on the computer...like now.
My DR told me... that I could have an incomplete blink....
im pretty sure im doing something crazy with my eyes [at night]....

2. You've described what amounts to a total failure of your doctors to diagnose and treat what's going on (which unfortunately in the world of dry eye is not all that uncommon) and, it sounds like, a total failure to test for a pre-existing condition which would place you in a high risk group for LASIK:

I have seen a lot of different tests mentioned to figure out what kind of dry eyes I have or if I even have it. Funny that none of the 4 Dr's I've seen have mentioned or tried any of these.

3. You've got serious misgivings about having LASIK - as would anyone in their right mind under the circumstances:

Im scheduled to have lasik in 2 days and I have to say that Im more than a little worried about it....
I've lost a lot of respect for optometrists and opthamalogists in the last few months.... Kind of makes me wonder what they do in med school the whole time. it cant just be....which is better 1 or 2???

So, put your common sense to good use and cancel your surgery.

Instead, deal with your eye problems. We will help you. You need to find a doctor who has the knowledge and the willingness to diagnose you carefully and the knowledge and the patience to treat you properly, step by step.

Let us know where you are and maybe someone will have a doctor recommendation. You are young but you can still take charge. Don't leave yourself to the mercy of what your doctor does or doesn't do. Go prepared to the appointment with a list of questions and request specific dry eye testing. If you want help putting it together you have only to ask.

If the Visine you were using is the get the red out kind, do not use it again. That will make dry eye worse and will make redness worse if used repeatedly.

[Rojzen]

nothing like it

Yes, Qbcoach - - There can be no logical reason to proceed with LASIK, for all the reasons that Rebecca and members have so eloquently stated above.

Right now, because you are already suffering with some of the symptoms of DES, you may be under the misimpression that the worst that could happen, post-LASIK, is more of the same, or some exacerbation of the same.

On the contrary, however: There are many DES sensations that you probably have not yet experienced, and I can state with complete certainty, that some of them are unlike any that unaffected persons can imagine, and far more debilitating than non-sufferers can appreciate. This accounts for why our affliction is so often under-diagnosed and under-treated, and why we can sometimes expect no compassion even from those close to us. . .

In other words, LASIK could move you into a plane of suffering that you're not capable of imagining, in your current circumstances. . .and so it makes good sense for you to heed the pleas of people here who are armed with real experience and information. As Rebecca said, it is amazing how much help you will be able to get here, if you focus on the disorder that is already troubling you. We will all revel in your healing, as that unfolds...

[dianat]

Coach, coach?! Where are you?

Hope he's not planning to be in "The Chair" tomorrow...

[qbcoach]

what is tranquil? Im located in arkansas. I have updated info...I havent canceled my lasik yet, but im going to unless they tell me great things. Im scheduled for 1pm tomorrow, but I looked up stuff on the web and found a dry eye article by a Dr here in little rock. I have an appointment with her at 9am tomorrow. The girl at the front desk said the dr would be able to tell me if the dry eye will prevent me from lasik. She said sometimes they say not to have it and sometimes its ok. The biggest hurdle I have is that football season starts on monday and I cannot stand wearing glasses at practice and everything else. They drive me crazy and they give me a freakin horrible headache. I also know that i only get one pair of eyes and they're one of the last things i'd want to give up. you can take my nose, my tongue, and my ears before i let you take my eyes...lol anyway...thanks for all the help. Any chance there are any good stories about dry eye and lasik? You guys have sufficiently freaked me out. I dont feel that im in the same league with most of you. I dont feel like I have anything in them and they dont itch. it feels like someone has their fingers on the edges of my eyes when I get on the computer. I was told I have high pressure in my eyes too. 10-20 is normal and I was around 26. They said this was ok because my corneas are thick. One more bit of information that I have no idea about. I should probably go to eye dr school, but then again i'd just know how to ask if 1 or 2 is better.

[Rebecca Petris]

We're not trying to freak you out, honest.

The reason you've seen such a strong response here is this: Those of us here who got our dry eyes from LASIK, did not have any serious dry eye condition before surgery. And in other respects, we were much like you. We went to reputable doctors and our doctors told us that we were great candidates for surgery. It is only because of what happened to us that we NOW understand all those "little red flags" - like contact lens problems - that did not mean anything to us before surgery and that our doctors brushed off as unimportant.

We also understand the compulsion to get LASIK, and how easy it is to rely on a reassuring doctor that "everything will be fine".

Whatever you end up doing, I wish you well!!!