2 months, dry eye, under eye bags over eye swelling...

[sylvysue]

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

[LasikExpert]

It appears that you had Lasik less than three months ago. Lasik induced temporary dry eye is a known complication of the surgery, however usually resolves within the normal six-month healing process.

Dry eye, whether natural, surgery induced, or surgery exasperated, can cause virtually all of the symptoms you describe. You may find our article on Lasik dry eye treatment helpful.

You may want to seek a second opinion from a corneal specialist in the ophthalmology department of a university affiliated teaching hospital. Even if the second opinion finds that you are healing and simply need to be patient, you will at least have the peace of mind that you are on the right track.

[music]

I am almost 7 weeks after my Lasik, and I too have huge bags under my eyes. I have multiple lines underneath and dark circles and very dark purple areas underneath, too. I don't know whether these will get better or not....I'm on Zylet and Restasis for dry-eye, and will be on those for at least several months. I used to not have any bags or circles, either, and now I would pass for my husband's mother, not wife.
I know the pain of dry-eye is awful, too. Mine just doesn't seem to ever go away. Hopefully it will at some point.

[rosecmd]

I have dry eye also, and at almost 8 weeks it is starting to get better. Hang in there. I hope that in addition to Restasis you are also using something like the Refresh Plus drops about 50 or so times a day (not kidding there on the number of times.) In addition, the Refresh ointment at night is a must for me, plus it lets me get more sleep. Also, I take ibufrophen for the pain and strain feeling, sometimes several times a day. I also found that temporary prescription glasses help with eye strain. It's amazing how much better I feel when I can see, even if it is corrected vision with glasses. At this point, who cares about wearing glasses. Hang in there. My vision after surgery for near and mid range was quite blurry and as my dry eye is resolving, is getting much better.

Hang in there. I hope you feel better soon --

[music]

It is so good to hear from you and very encouraging. I will go look for the Refresh ointment, because I do wake up a few times during the night and have to put in more drops, so something more substantial might get me through the night. I'm assuming the under-eye "cosmetic distress" of bags & dark circles will go away when the health of the eyes is better. (Let's hope so, anyway!) I have had to take a great deal of asprins and sinus meds, too. It seems hard to tell what kind of headache or "eyeache" it is....they seem to intertwine.
Thank you for your helpful advice, and I will go instill some Refresh drops!

[Judy]

Rose, I was just wondering how things are going.......have you been back to the doc to discuss enhancement? Since we are on the same track I follow your posts carefully. Hoping to hear how its going soon. J

[rosecmd]

Hi Judy,

Nice to hear from you! I am now at 9 weeks post surgery today. The next time I see my surgeon is at 12 weeks, on October 8th, so I haven't seen her since my one month visit about 5 weeks ago. I have a second opinion scheduled with another surgeon on Friday, October 12.

My night time dry eye is getting a bit better, especially in my right eye. I use drops during the day about every 1/2 hour - 2 hours. I have good dry eye days and worse dry eye days and every night is a dry eye night still. Mostly during the day I do not feel much in the way of dry eye, but continue to use my drops compulsively. I use my ointment before bed, and then Refresh Celivisic and Refresh Plus several times during the night if/when I wake up. I do not have much early morning blurriness, that seems to be dissipating. So, overall, I do see progress in my dry eye. I have spoken to several people who said their dry eye lasted a full year. I've been on Restasis and Theratears flax oil capsules for 5 weeks now.

In terms of my vision, my distance vision (20 feet) outside is great, I bet it's close to 20/20 or 25 most of the time. My night time vision is also getting better. I have some minimal issues with halos and starbursts but they are improving some. For example, I no longer see halos around my kitchen recessed lights. I do see halos outside at night on traffic lights and cars. I can drive at night without glasses and I tolerate the halos and starbursts but I have not had to drive on the highway where the light situation my be overwhelming at night. My intermediate (3-15/20 feet) vision is still fairly blurry indoors and my near vision stinks and that seems to have stablized. I know that I am overcorrected into hyperopia and feel that I likely need an enhancement. Now, I feel well equipped to grill my surgeon on my current and expected situation and plan to validate her thoughts with a second opinion and even a third if necessary. I am most worried about the dry eye severity after enhancement. I continue to use my temporary presecription glasses indoors in the early morning and in the evening, and sometimes at other times when I want clear vision at all distances. I continue to love my 2.0 Clic's readers. So, overall, improvement in the dry eye, but not much in the mid-range and near vision due to overcorrection, and perhaps some residual dry eye and astigmatism.

How are you doing?

[Judy]

Hi Rose, great hearing from you. I am just past 6 weeks. I have noticed an improvement in the dry eye situation. Still have it, but at least its not so bad that my eyes feel like I need to pull dried on contac lenses off my eyes. I notice if I read for an extended period an do not stop to drop in my similasan drops I get very tired. One curious thing I noticed, if I do not take liquid gel Advil each day, I have a bad day. I think somehow they help. I still have tired eyes and night, but not as excruciating as it was the first 6 weeks. I am not on Restasis but I do try to take my flax seed oil.

My far range, is probably about where it was during my last checkup of a little better than 20/30. I have an appointment next week and will update.

My midvision, has improved in the last 3 weeks. I have benchmarks that I have kept checking.....(words on a print across the room, the small type across the TV screen)....I can read them in optimal conditions. That being, when there is light. Dimness is still a problem. Outside I am great.....indoors, fair.

My Doc keeps mentioning enhancement because, I, too, am overcorrected. Glen mentioned that even a bit of overcorrection and astigmatism (which I have too) can mess up your results.

Sooooooooooooo, I am anxious to find out what she says on the 18th about where I stand. I will be about 2 months out at that point.

All in all, I am much better, but not great. I would classify it as fair+. I am interested to see how it goes for both of us. Thank you for the Clic recommend, I got a pair and they are helpful when I want to read. I still am trying to adjust to the sudden presbyopia and the dimness of the midrange inside the house. Also, its a psychological challenge to put glasses on to do things I used to take glasses off to do. I try to leave off my glasses as much as possible, hoping that my eyes will adjust better that way. Today was a bad day as the outside is gray and gloomy so it makes the vision dimmer in general. I am wondering if I have a pupil problem as well. Anyway.....onward and upward....Keep in touch....'

My email is jheilich@msn.com write me if you want to....Judy

[rosecmd]

Judy,

I forgot to mention that I take Ibuprophen almost every day, two in the morning and two later in the day to help with the pain and strain of the dry eye. Also, I really find that when I wear my new prescription glasses, I have less eye strain. I really think that all the work our eyes have to do to see and the struggle to focus over several ranges that are not optimal causes the headaches and eye discomfort and soreness that I have some days. Today was a good day, my eyes felt better. Still have blurry mid-range and crappy near vision, but still had a better day today due to, I believe, resolving dryness.

I also have better vision is optimal lighting conditions (outside on a sunny day), but I also recognize th that at all times and under all conditions, I have perfect vision with my new glasses which tells me that I have residual refractive error and astigmatism.

Well, continued good luck! Let's keep in touch.