Is it normal to be over corrected post lasek enhancement to +1.5?

Question

I had LASIK surgery in both eyes in October 2012. I was -6.5 in the right and -6.75 in the left. My left eye only improved to -0.75, so in March 2014, they did an Lasek enhancement. My vision is now worse then what it was, and I was informed yesterday it is +1.5, and can take 3 months to improve, is this normal? Should I go to another practice?

Joseph Dello Russo, MD · Answer

Let's review:You first had LASIK for -6.50. You were slightly under corrected by -0.75. Then you had LASEK for the under correction. LASEK is not LASIK. LASEK is another name for PRK.  PRK treatment may take longer to stabilize than a LASIK retreatment. You will have to be patient and follow your surgeons instructions. If he advises you to take anti-inflammatory drops, make sure you take them.if your eyes are dry, you would be best having treatment such as wetting drops, restasis drops, evening ointment, and maybe lacrimal plugging of your tear ducts.

Richard A. Norden, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

Overcorrection with any refractive procedure, be it LASEK, PRK or LASIK, can occur in a small percentage of patients due to healing outside the Bell curve of normal. Overcorrection can and does frequently resolve with time; on occasion it does not. You seem to have a rather large overcorrection for the amount treated during the enhancement -- are you still on steroid eye drops and, if not, for how long after the procedure were you on them? Steroids can sometimes promote an overcorrection. If this doesn't resolve, your surgeon should do a "cycloplegic" refraction (put drops in to relax your focusing and measure your prescription after). You certainly can have another procedure as long as your cornea is thick enough. Your surgeon should easily be able to determine this.Richard A Norden MD  Ridgewood, NJ

Is it normal to be over corrected post lasek enhancement to +1.5?

Answers (2)