LasikGirl12

Not Worth the Complications I've Had and I'd Give Anthing to Go Back in Time So I Could Change my Mind. - Oklahoma City, OK

Hi there. If you already have dry eyes I seriously would not have any refractive surgery done. All of them (bladeless LASIK, LASIK with a blade, PRK) can make your dry eye condition worse. I am surprised your surgeon was so honest with you about possibly needing lubricating drops for the rest of your life. Not one of the surgeons I saw made me aware of this. You really just have to decide if LASIK is worth the risks. There are so many people who have it done and do not experience any complications. Then again there are many who have life altering complications. My reason for wanting LASIK was to make my life easier. I was tired of messing with contacts, not to mention they never felt good due to my dry eyes, and I could not stand glasses. I also felt I would save money in the long run not having to purchase contacts, solution, & glasses. I actually spend more money now on Restasis, lubricating drops (which are not cheap), and so much more stuff to help my dry eye. I spend more time on my eyes than I ever did with contacts. So, LASIK did not make my life easier at all! If I were you I would not go through with surgery primarily because of your dry eyes. If I could reverse mine I would in a heartbeat! Dry eyes are miserable. Do as much research online as you can before making your decision. Most surgeons will not tell you all you need to know to make an informed decision. Unfortunately, they just want your money. Good luck to you and don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. : )

Hi Megan,
The moisture chamber goggles I use are by Guard-Dogs. They are called Sidecars IV. They are very unique in the way the frame comes with a smoke lense for outside use and clear for inside. You can also purchase rx ready lenses. The lenses are interchangeable with a push of a button on each lense. To keep airflow out there is a removable peice that fits behind the lenses which has a foam lining. The foam fits against the face and helps keep moisture from your body heat inside the glasses. There are many moisture chamber goggles of all types out there. Some will fit one person and not another. A wonderful website for a variety of these goggles, along with other products and an abundant amount of information on dry eye is The Dry Eye Shop online. I purchased my goggles from this site and have learned tips and tools from the advice of others with dry eye. I'm not sure where to upload a picture of my goggles. However, if anybody is interested there is an excellent picture of them on the Dry Eye Zone website.

Anybody out there thinking about getting Lasik really needs to do much research before having the procedure done. I thought I had done plenty of research and felt very comfortable at the time with my decision. I saw more than 3 doctors before making my final choice. My Lasik doctor claimed to have the best technology out there and offered custom wavefront guided Lasik. Somehow I automatically assumed custom wavefront Lasik meant bladeless. I had no idea that custom wavefront refers to the treatment of the cornea itself. The procedure used to create the flap is extremely important. I suffered from mild dry eye prior to Lasik and had been told by the other doctors bladeless would be best option for me because the risk for dry eye symptoms following surgery is significantly less. In addition, I had good corneal thickness but more on the thinner side. Traditional Lasik creates a thicker flap, thus cutting more nerves in the cornea. The nerves in the cornea help with tear production. Bladeless Lasik creates a much thinner flap. Someone with a corneal thickness on the thinner side will benefit from bladeless vs. traditional because again, traditional removes more from the cornea's surface. The thinner your cornea is after surgery, the more at risk you are for developing a serious complication called ectasia, where the cornea's thickness is too thin and the cornea begins to bulge. I am 6 mos post surgery and suffer from moderate to severe dry eye. My eyes burn 24/7. I only get a break when I'm asleep. I've gone above and beyond in treating my dry eye. I'm on Restasis, have punctum plugs which are suppose to help your tears from draining, take fish oil, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, and use preservative free artificial tears constantly. All of this gets very expensive and at this time there is no cure for dry eye which is miserable to live with and can be permanent. I must sleep with plastic wrap over my eyes with heavy gel to keep them drying out at night. I also have to use moisture chamber goggles while watching tv or using the computer. My night time vision seems fine on most days. Halos, glare and starbursts are mild. Some days these symptoms can be a little bit worse and more bothersome, but not so much to where I don't feel like I can safely drive at night. However, my vision under dim lighting is poor. It's grainy and kind of fuzzy. Bladeless Lasik is thought to decrease the risk of this complication too. To make matters even worse, one eye developed an astigmatism after surgery that has not improved. This is yet another side effect of traditional surgery and bladeless is again thought to carry less of a risk for this. An enhancement would have to be done to correct it which terrifies me because this would mean loosing even more corneal thickness. Please, please do your homework before your decision and remember that no Lasik surgeon can promise perfect results without complications. Everyone responds and heals differently. Also, they won't always tell you about certain complications like for instance how Lasik itself does not cause floaters but the suction ring used prior to cutting the flap (bladeless and traditional), increases the pressure in your eye so much that it CAN cause floaters. I had floaters before and now have even more. Choosing whether to have the surgery or not is a very SERIOUS decision and unfortunately Lasik can not be reversed.