Ghosting

[FLOPGUY]

I am 42 YO male 11 days post op myopia w/astigmaism. At the time of my surgery my doctor said my flaps were perfect, the following day's exam he said the same thing. I have had no discomfort at all. My eyes feel perfectly normal. I have dry eyes only when I wake up. I use the lubricating eye drops every 2 -3 hours, even if my eye don't feel dry.
My left eye has ghosting, my right has none. I have starbursts at night which seems to have eased a little.
My left eye usually has virtually no ghosting when I wake, then about noon it is at its worst (at a distance only). Then as the day progresses it eases some. My vision minus starburst and ghosting is quite good, even at night.
Is this a common? do you see anthing here that raises a flag?
I use a computer a lot at work and that puts stress on my left eye (dom eye). Its that a contributor?

[LasikExpert]

What you describe sounds very much like dry eye induced temporary corneal irregularity. This would cause the multiple image ghosting you describe.

People who work at computers are notorious for not blinking often enough and rarely resting their eyes. By the mid-day, your eyes have dried enough to start the ghosting process.

Read our article about Lasik Dry Eye and review your current treatment regimen. Make an appointment with your doctor for lunchtime on a work day so your doctor can check your eyes when you are symptomatic.

[FLOPGUY]

Actually I work 2nd shift. My computer day doesnt start until 3pm. But when I get up I do watch a couple hours of TV with coffee.
My doctor's office said to increase my wetting drops, which I have expecially at work. You are right about the not blinking enough, I am certainly a canidate for that while working and watching TV.

Do most people use lacrilube oint at night? I forgot to ask the doctor that.

Thanks for the response and link

[LasikExpert]

I don't know if most people use a lubricating gel at night, but I'm quite sure most people should. A well lubricated and closed eye is a good environment for healing.

[briser3]

I am 8 days post op - and having ghosting caused by astigmatism.
Has this improved over the last month?

Thanks,
Brian

[LasikExpert]

Eight days is waaaay too early to come to any conclusions about your final outcome. It is easy for the cornea to have some edema (swelling) that can cause or contribute to astigmatism and ghosting. Dry eye can exacerbate or cause astigmatism.

It is reasonable to expect changes in the coming weeks. Be sure to keep your eyes well lubricated with preservative-free artificial tears per your doctor's instructions and be sure to report any anomalies to your doctor.

[briser3]

and I appreciate your comments. But I've yet to see a post where someone states they developed an astigmatism that lasted for days...... and it ended up going away. Instead all I see are responses that say to wait, and no follow up from the original poster.
If anybody has experienced this and it went away I'd like to hear about it, or if it didn't go away, I'd like to hear that as well; just so I know what I can expect to have to manage in the coming months.

[Button1]

and I appreciate your comments. But I've yet to see a post where someone states they developed an astigmatism that lasted for days...... and it ended up going away. Instead all I see are responses that say to wait, and no follow up from the original poster.
If anybody has experienced this and it went away I'd like to hear about it, or if it didn't go away, I'd like to hear that as well; just so I know what I can expect to have to manage in the coming months.

I am now 5 months post LASIK and have ghosting with writing...letters, numbers and such. I doubt at this point it's going to go away. The good thing is that everything comes back to one image quickly.

[LasikExpert]

I am now 5 months post LASIK and have ghosting with writing...letters, numbers and such. I doubt at this point it's going to go away. The good thing is that everything comes back to one image quickly.

It sounds like you may have an accommodation/convergence deficiency. When a person looks at something close the eyes respond in several ways. One is that the natural lens within the eye changes shape to change focus. This is accommodation. Another is that the pupils constrict, and yet another is that the two eyes turn nasally (cross-eyed). This is convergence.

If your ghosting occurs when you look at something relatively close and then quickly dissipates, you should probably be checked for accommodation and convergence deficiency.

[Button1]

I am now 5 months post LASIK and have ghosting with writing...letters, numbers and such. I doubt at this point it's going to go away. The good thing is that everything comes back to one image quickly.

It sounds like you may have an accommodation/convergence deficiency. When a person looks at something close the eyes respond in several ways. One is that the natural lens within the eye changes shape to change focus. This is accommodation. Another is that the pupils constrict, and yet another is that the two eyes turn nasally (cross-eyed). This is convergence.

If your ghosting occurs when you look at something relatively close and then quickly dissipates, you should probably be checked for accommodation and convergence deficiency.

Ummm...ok...this was caused by the LASIK because I didn't have it before? And what can be done about it?? Thanks.

[LasikExpert]

Is the ghosting only with both eyes open and when looking at something relatively close, such as television or a menu? If you cover one eye does the ghosting disappear?

[mike r]

I am a new member of the class of lasik '06 "roll of the dice" had mine done with allegretto and blade w/software upgrade for astigmatism recently loaded was +1.25 2.5 90 +1.25 1.75 88 roughly so no bizarre prescription.
2 days until weekly update was done on 21st check up day after 20/20 20/50 no stig. per doc. No real issue other than getting use to to seperate prescriptions and mild ghosting (noticeable on digital or bright letters on tv @ distance approx 10' half a letter if I turn my head down and force eye to brow it eliminates or if I do same with less forcing eye to brow and cover short range(reading eye ) it clears to. So thoughts are poor alignment of laser or flap cut or pupil size and laser width application or contrast with 20/50 eye MAYBE??? The more I read the more variables. Also mild starbursting at night or just plain bright as hec. I keep humming the old song "I wear my sun glasses at night so I can see" my thought on this has the laser effected the motor control of the pupils because its like those dilating drops when they put to much in and freeze the motor control of the pupils to check our eyes.
Just my 2 cents and theorys no answers...I dont know if we would be given the right ones either...Otherwise vision pleasingly crisp just these same issues others mentioning...maybe others before us become immune to issues.

Good Luck all will be monitoring <mike r>

[Button1]

Is the ghosting only with both eyes open and when looking at something relatively close, such as television or a menu? If you cover one eye does the ghosting disappear?

I am a nurse and it's only when I am charting or looking at monitors...doesn't seem to matter if it's close (charts) or far (monitors.) And I am not sure if it happens with one eye closed...I am going to try it tomorrow!

[mike r]

I went today and brought up mild ghosting to doc. You would think that with all the outcomes involving this phenomina that it would be quickly addressed( or maybe even a test procedure for intensity after being mentioned...hhhmmm??? thats odd??? ) Just the standard eye tests for prescription though vision is 20/20 both eyes ...hhmmm?

anyway he did an abalation scan and appears relatively(I dont know what to look for colors seemed same for both eyes though) some yellow no red ...I saw it both eyes show minor different patterns ...only 1 eye is ghosting with distance vision while second eye is blocked so who knows???

he put a plug in lower tear duct and will wait for 4 week check up now everything else ok just the refresh drops from now on...

will see??? oh Im 20/20 and 20/150(20/20) a chore to deal with right now whew!!! battle of the balls!!!!

<mike r>

[mike r]

I believe I am improving within last few days with ghosting. It may be more in relation to stopping drops pred forte and zymar. The brightness at night has also improved and reduced alot. I still see very cleary but I think glasses must also afford extra magnification beyond correcting vision. I dont believe I have the same distance capability that I had with glasses even though I have great clarity. Dry eyes not really issue at all but still hitting with refresh maybe 5x a day. Just the latest at 16 days post op...

<mike r>