My doctors followup is horrible! Not to mention all the rush before and after. I'm upset about so many things that I don't know where to start
I guess I'll start in the beginning.
My vision was pretty bad and I had a lot of eye srain. I had given up reading from books or in dim light completely. I could read on the computer with my glasses and was fine to drive with glasses. I had to bring a magnifying glass to restaurants and grocery stores.
What I didn't know and no eye doctor I ever went to told me was that I already had dry eye! I thought it was just eye strain from my glasses not correcting my vision enough!
I started wanting to get lasik over 5 years ago. I went for a consoltation with a well known and respected doctor in my erea. He said I was a good canidate for the procedure. Things got hectic in my life and I wasn't able to have the procedure at that time.
About a year ago I went to a different doctor and got another evaluation. She said I was a good canidate also. Still, I had other things I had to take care of and put off the surgery again.
So finally about 3 months ago I decided that I had waited long enough and would have the surgery. The doctor I went to a year ago was no longer at that facility. I ran into several people who had the surgery through the original doctor I went to and they were all very happy.
So I went back to him. He again evaluated me and told me I was a good canidate. No mention of dry eyes or alergy complications. I told him that I had alergies and sensitivities to stuff.
On the day of the surgery my new roommate (who also had her eyes done there a few years ago) brought me to the office. She waited in the waiting room for me. They handed me the informedl release form telling me the government required them to have me sign it. When I saw it I thought that I probably should have a lawyer look at it before signing, but it was too late for that. After all the trouble I had gone to canceling work and arranging things for this and with my new roommate sitting there I felt I couldn't just stop everything. I wish I had.
The assistant gave me a valum to relax. After the time went by that it was supposed to take affect I told them that I didn't think I was relaxed enough. I told them that some times I was a little resistant to those kind of drugs. Then in front of my roommate they asked me if I did drugs!!!!
I don't and was embarrassed. Since my roommate didn't really know me yet I was really afraid she would think I did.
They did give me another valume . After the time went by again I still didn't feel relaxed but I was too embarrassed to say anything.
I won't go into the details of the actual operation but I was definitely not ready for it. They had not told me enough of the details of what would happen and it was a very different experience than what I expected.
I am still concerned that after the operation I heard the doctor talking in hushed tones to one of his assistants about the machine. I still don't know what that was about.
My initial recovery was more intense and took longer than any-one I knew and anyone any of them knew. I had nightmares also. When I told my doctor I had night mares he told me not to have them.
Since the surgery I have had bags under my eyes, swelling above them and all kinds of dry, itchy, red and sore eyes.
On followup exams I am told that it's just dry eye and allergy eye and have changed eye drops several times.
I am upset with the rushed way I am handled and the lack of explanations I get.
The doctor is not telling me what treatments for dry eye and allergy eye I could get other than eye drops and temporary plugs. Not evem advising me on the possible adverse effects of the plugs.
I think the skin under my eye is permanently damaged from being stretched out so long. I hate to see myself in the mirror. Honestly, I looked better with glasses! Part of the reason for the surgery is vanity. Now I look older than I did before.
I have ghosting, sensitivity to light and the lights are flared at night.
A few minutes after eyedrops my eyes are 20/25 which is great but overshadowed by all the other problems. I may end up getting glasses for driving because I can't read the signs soon enough at times I end up passing up the street I want because I can't read it untill I'm right on it. I was farsighted before.
So after all that, my problem is I want to go to a different doctor now for the rest of the followup and don't know what to do.
I think that my doctor as experienced as he is should have recognized the dry eye symptoms before my surg :shock: :shock: ery and advised me accordingly. I had mild dry eye before but didn't know it. Now I have very very dry eye.
Since he didn't inform me enough and continues to be rushed and patronizing with me I really don't trust him any more.
Where should I go for help?
the do