Lasik Dry Eye, Im Kayla

[KaylaR]

Hello all,
This is my first thread. I have been reading everyones posts for a couple of days and joined last week. I must say that reading other peoples' experience really remind me of my own and that no one else understands the pain and embarassment dry eye sufferers go through.

My experience: I had lasik Nov. 2, 2006 and it has changed me for the worst. I have dry, red eyes everyday and I got the surgery because I thought it my eyes would no longer bother me without contacts. My surgeon lied to me because 30 seconds before my surgery I looked him in the eye and asked him if this would solve my issue of dry eyes from contacts and he said yes!!! To just start restasis one week post surgery and that it would take three months to heal. I'd like to punch him for not being straight with me, along with myself for jumping into deep water and behind my parents back. I should have listened to them. I must admit, even through the regret and agony of dry eye, I learned a big lesson. I live in regret because I hadn't searched the interent or visited other doctors to get second, third, etc. opinions. I only heard the success of other patients.

No one understands what "fire eyes" (burning eyes) are like, honestly. I sympathize to everyone who has dry eyes from Lasik or anything. I wouldn't wish this disease upon anyone, not even my worst enemy (except maybe my surgeon)!

My treatment so far: I tried Restasis a week after surgery for 3 months. It wasent helping, Ive heard from doctors it takes up to 6 months but I felt like i just wanted to see what it was like to heal by itself. I tried it again about 6 months later and they burned more than not using it. Sometimes I feel like maybe if I never used it, my eyes would be differnet..I dont know. Not to mention paying for the surgery among everything else is way too costly and time consuming for a full-time, working student. I constantly bought and am buying natural supplements and over-the-counter eye drops to find relief but nothing worked. Humidifier, ehh I cant tell of a difference really. Recently, I got my bottom punctal plugs and find some relief in the mornings. I am getting my uppers in 3 weeks. Maybe that will help.

Anyway, this site really helps me cope. I can relate to a lot of your issues and have even cried to hear of stories worse than mine. I couldnt image the pain and depression.

Lastly, I just want to end on this note. Lasik has ruined me. I am not myself anymore and I am not happy. I wish I could worry about my school work and career, other than dry, tired, and red eyes. I wish I could look pretty with make-up. In high school, I won Most Outgoing in my senior class. I am a sophmore in college now and have no desire to be my old self because I always think about my eyes. Not only do I wish they invented a cure for dry eye, but sometimes a time machine so I could not have the procedure.

One good thing out of this mess is at least I can talk to peers about my lasik-induced dry eye and convince them to not put themselves in my shoes.

[lboogie]

Oh wow......you sound just like me. I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. I too have lasik induced dry eye -- although I am supposedly still early on (5months). But I am not myself anymore either. I don't recognize who I am. I am usually so healthy, athletic, motivated, and generally happy. But not much anymore.

These past 5 months I have been depressed and filled with worry at every moment. I'm saddened to hear that your symptoms did not clear up. Are any better at all than you were in the early stages?

I wore contact lenses just fine, so I'm hoping I will recover in time. There all kinds of stories and info on this site, it's been helpful. And maybe try the drops listed here too.

Keep posting, and we'll be here for you.

[KaylaR]

well boogie, your symptoms are still in the early stages. The first 7 months for me were the worst. It caused me my job and boyfriend because I just wasent myself. Now, my symptoms are still bothersome but not as bad, I can tell they feel less painful than before. In warmer weather my eyes feel a lot better. If your like me, your eyes are still healing. Now my eye doc says they are comletely healed but I am worried they will be dry forever...

Now, a year and six months post surgery, I am beginning to think they will never be perfect again. I still try things all the time to see if I can get relief from pain and the reddness. About a 2 weeks ago I got my lower punctals plugged and I can tell a little difference and am getting the uppers plugged in 2 weeks. I have read a lot that most people cant tell a differnece with the bottoms but can with the tops. The eye doc, and other sources, say that putting all four in at once will be a shock and my eyes will water too much, my initial reaction was that would be great, thats better than bone dry. But I guess that wouldnt solve my problem of burning beacause your eye has three layers of tear film in order to stay comfortable.

Anyway, I recommend you try plugs too. Its free and your eye doc can do it in 2 minutes. If you dont like them, then its a simple step to take them out. I will keep you updated on how it goes.

Kayla

[LasikLady]

Take Heart!

Hello Kayla,

I had my lasik 1 month before you did. Your story is much like my own. Except that I am much older (40) than you. My heart goes out to you, I understand what you are going through with your eyes.

I have all 4 of my puntum plugged. I noticed a big difference with all 4 done. But it took several weeks to get used to the plugs. Be patient with them and really give them a try. The reflex tearing in the beginning is a pain but try to hang in there. I do have too much tearing even now. I blot the inner corners of my eyes every 2 to 5 minutes. Not that the tears will come streaming down my face, they would eventually, but just having that extra wetness there tends to "bug" me. Once I blot my eyes feel good. But I will tell you this, I would much prefer needing to carry a tissue around to blot my eyes than to deal with that dry feeling all the time. I still have good and bad eye days. On my good eye days that blessed extra wetness feels wonderful. On bad eye days I feel somewhat irritated. But all in all I prefer 4 plugs. I can watch t.v. at night again. I can read in the evening. The only real downside is the extra blotting of my eyes. I choose that over the dryness. Nothing is perfect.

It breaks my heart to read lasik has ruined you. Reading that made my stomach literally ache. I understand where you are coming from and in the past felt those same things, at times I still do, it's a long process to acceptance. I think the thing here to strive for is learning how to cope with this condition and finding a way to manage symptoms so that life can continue on in a meaningful, happy way. For me thinking of those on this board that are worse off in their symptoms than I am yet live productive good lives has inspired me to keep going and be thankful I am not worse off than I am. I pray you will find a place of peace with this. It was hard for me but now I feel I am on my way. This board saved me. I think it will help you as well. And never give up hope.

[KaylaR]

Hey LasikLady,

Actually, reading yYOUR posts on this website of how your eyes arent as dry now after plugs inspired me to try them!!! No lie, so it was good to hear from you personally! Thank you. I am getting the uppers done May 8th. That sounds so funny to read "Im getting them done!!"

Anyway,
Im not sure how my eyes are going to react but I can tell a little difference with the bottom done so hopefully the top will make a big difference. I know how I dont know what it will be like, but having wet eyes sounds way more appealing to me than dry. I am confident and excited about getting the upper plugs done and feel like its my last straw of relief anyway.

One quick question...
When your eyes are dry do they get red too and feel like theres something scrathing all the time?? When your eyes are wet, do these symptoms decrease for you?? and how are you wearing make-up when your eyes are dry or too wet? My eyes feel drier when I put make-up, which is so unfortunate because I loved getting ready to go out with my friends, now I dread weather or not my eyes will bother me for the night... Usually I dont wear make-up at all because comfort is more important, although it sucks I cant look as pretty with red, dry eyes..
Thanx

[Raginator]

Hello, Kayla.

I had my procedure done in August 2006, so I'm only 3 months ahead of you. My condition has improved a lot since then. I hope, very much, that you're symptoms improve as well. My eyes used to be so dry, they'd "peel" open in the morning, all sticky. I completely understand your feelings that you posted about. I've felt the same way. Today, my dry eye condition has dwindled down to a nuisance. My eyes get red and itchy sometimes. And I've been an allergy sufferer for the past few years so, maybe, that is exacerbating my problem. I'll post more info, as it comes in. Thanks for posting, Kayla. It's better not to go through such a big problem alone.

[LasikLady]

I have this one area on the inner corner of my right eye that gets red when my eyes are real bad. The doctor told me it's from sun exposure (he called it plaque I think) and that is really the only area I turn red in. My eyes are vainey though but only I seem to notice that. After my uppers I noticed very soon that that "plaque" area was not red anymore. So hopefully you will notice less redness when your eyes are wetter. My eyes never really feel scratchy just burning. And that is now better with the plugs.
Now for the makeup, I can relate to your frustrations here as well. I no longer wear eye makeup. I too feel that my eyes feel better without it. Plus, and if you're not doing this already I recommend it highly, when I come home from work I do a hot compress with Rebecca's rice baggie and it's also a hassle to wash off my eye make up before doing it. But mostly I don't wear it because I think my eyes do feel better without it. I always tell myself that I can be vain and in pain or go without it with more comfort. I choose the latter. Also, with all the blotting I do even waterproof mascara will start to flake. Lucky for me my husband doesn't like any make up on me. But it does make me feel old, my eyes were my best feature. I make sure I still wear my foundation, powder, lipstick and blush. For a special occasion I will put on some waterproof mascara for sensitive eyes. I know it is hard to give up eye makeup, especially for you because you are young.
I am so glad my posts may have helped someone. Be sure to remember it takes time to adjust to the plugs so give them a good try before you give up. I'd say a month. Lucy really helped me with that advice. Unless you feel they are a bad fit or they are scratching your eyes and you need to try a different plug, give them a good old chance to work.
Hang in there! There are so many out there just like you. You are not alone and it will get better!

[blackberry]

Lasik Eyes

Hang in there. This forum was a godsend to me and people are so nice. I am seven years post-LASIK and my eyes have gotten much better in the past few years. They still will never be as good as they were before the surgery, but they did improve substantially, over a long period of time. The first months were the absolute worst.