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POSTED UNDER PRK Laser Eye Surgery REVIEWS

2 1/2 Weeks Post Prk Still in Pain :/ - Kenosha, WI

ORIGINAL POST

I wasn't a good candidate for LASIK as I have dry...

Kathyg2013
$3,990

I wasn't a good candidate for LASIK as I have dry eyes and have already been using restasis for the past 1-1/2 years. Day of surgery was fine. Took a little longer on my right eye(they said my epithelium was "sticky"). Immediately after I sat up and noticed I could see clear as ever. Went home and rested all day. Day 2 was ok. Slight discomfort with the contact bandage but since I already have dry eyes sleeping in a contact bandage feels horrible. I was told day 2 & 3 were considered the worst. My demise hit on day 4. Every light hurt!! I had blankets covering my already dark curtains. I hung towels over all doors to make sure no sun came in. Day 5 follow up I couldn't even look at the chart to read that screen was too bright. They even had to turn the computer monitor around and we were in pitch black. Figured out those bandages like sleeping in your contacts for a week was the cause :/ doc increased my steroid drop to 8 times a day!! Used my non preservative drops every 15 min. I'm now 2 1/2 weeks post prk and I have had my right eye scraped twice with having to have another bandage placed on it for no more them 2 days. Apparently my cells keep clumping together and my doc doesn't like the way it's healing. My left eye is almost 20/20 do having to start all over in my right eye 2 times now has created some harsh headaches and sensitivity to light gets worse and worse. I still can't drive although I'm at the legal driving level. I'm still locked up like a vampire having to wear sunglasses even in my house. My doc ended up putting plugs in all my tear ducts to try and see if that will help with the dryness. I'm still using pred forte 8 times a day both eyes, restasis twice daily, antibiotic 4x's daily in my right eye and the refresh as much as possible along with adding refresh pm ointment at night in my left eye and 3x's daily in my right eye. I was not prescribed any pain meds they told me to take Tylenol with ibuprofen and all that has done was screw up my stomach :/. The pain has been so significant that I cannot eat and I'm constantly nauseous. Is it normal to have your eye scraped due to what they call "hazing" that many times after prk? I really hope they don't scrape it again the pain is becoming unbearable and I'm so frustrated right now!!!

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Eye center of racine/kenosha

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Replies (7)

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September 20, 2013

Hi Kathy. I'm sorry to hear the recovery process has been rough. Have you had any improvement since you last posted? I've been considering PRK too, and I hope everything turns out well for you.

October 26, 2013
I am overall happy with the outcome now. I had a very difficult recovery but that is only because the severe dry eye I had already started out with. I still wear sunglasses outside but only on extremely sunny days. I love not having to fumble for my glasses in the morning or poke my eye with my fingers putting in contacts. Best advice to give is research your doc as much as possible. I had 2 docs perform my surgery and it turns out one was new so I was his "5-6" prk patient :/ not saying that was the cause of my slow recovery but does make me wonder a little. Make the best choice for you and plan for the worse take a couple weeks off work if you can afford it. I ended up having to miss a whole week without pay on top of my week vacation for my recovery.
October 26, 2013
Well, I am happy to hear that you are finally in the end phase of healing. Kind of rough beginning but don't you love it now?? I am really enjoying every day and just little things are so much easier now. I agree, making research about your surgeon is critical. I chose the best one of my state. He has done over 9000 of those surgeries, has won several awards, has a superb education and training and is a really highly regarded professor in the medical center. So glad I went with him. Too bad that haze still may stay. Bummer. But maybe it still goes away. Your eyes are still healing in baby steps, so dont give up hope. All the best for your future!
November 5, 2013
Undine, who performed your surgery?
September 24, 2013
I am sorry to hear about your bad healing process. Mine was a breeze. I never had pain or even the slightest discomfort. Never had haze or had to be scrapped. Sounds weird anyway. Are you taking your drops correctly? My healing process was done three months to the day after surgery and I can see 20/15 on both eyes. I hope you start healing soon and enjoy the fantastic new vision.
October 26, 2013
I've been using the drops religiously as I work in a pharmacy and know how important it is. I was finally free of light sensitivity at the 1 month post date. I'm still on the pred forte 4 times a day in the right eye and now 2 times a day in the left. My left eye is 20/20 my right eye slowly getting there at a 20/25. Doc says the haze might not ever go away completely in my right eye. I've noticed that by the end of the night my eye sight does blur. Now that there is no pain I must say I'm happy with the overall outcome. It was just the severity of my original dry eye that was hard for the healing process. My right eye still has plugs in the tear ducts but my left eye is finally producing and keeping the tears.
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February 22, 2020
May I ask how old were you when you underwent PRK?