Hi. I just came across this very helpful website today, and am hopeful that some of you might be able to help me with my decision to get Lasik surgery 10 days from now (or not ....) . I am what I would consider a mild dry-eye sufferer, and have been for a few years. I think it is caused by hormones (high estrogen) but I cannot be sure. I have never been an eye drop user, so that should give you some indication of how mild my case really is. I would say that every now again I will wake up and my eyes will feel dry .... I will sort of blink several times, and they just sort of clear up or moisten up on their own, or whatever. It is not an every day occurrence for me. So, fast-forward to my pre-Lasik consultation a few weeks ago. The doc's assistant (not sure what her medical title was) (not the opthamologist though) ran their battery of tests on me to determine if I would be an acceptable candidate, yada yada. Later, the doctor came in and examined me, then said "so do you have dry eyes?" I said "occassionally." (At this point, I was very curious to know how HE knew that, as I was unaware that any of the tests she had run was testing for that!) He said that one of my eyes showed mild dry eye, the other not so much so. He asked if I used drops of any type, I replied no, he said I was probably one of those people who could benefit from the occasional use of drops, for general relief. I had read before even going into this consultation that people with dry eyes were usually not candidates for Lasik -- and I want Lasik -- so I was thinking he was going to tell me "see ya" right then & there. He didn't -- at least not right away. He sent me away with the assignment that I had to use some eye drops he gave me 2x daily -- then come back the first week in January to have my level of dry eye measured again. I guess I'll find out if he'll do the surgery or not, based on what those tests reveal.

My question to you guys is, after reading many of these posts, is how common is dry eye occuring after Lasik surgery??? I realize it has happened to a great many of you, but do you think that is representative of the population as a whole? I know LOTS of people who have had Lasik and none of them have reported dry eye as a result, but none (that I am aware of) went into it with a mild case of it to begin with either. So, my dilemma is whether or not I should do this at all ..... am I trading one set of problems for another (clear vision for dry eyes)?? Or is it possible I'd be like the majority of people out there who have little to no problems post-Lasik? I'm not trying to convince myself to have the procedure, nor minimize the horrific situations many of you seem to deal with on a daily basis, for which I certainly hope you all find relief. I just am trying to make an educated decision for myself .....

Happy New Year .... May 2006 bring you all moist eyes & perfect vision!!