Please help - DLK

[BAM17]

Faithworks.....so glad to hear you are better :) What a scary thing to go through. Thank you for keeping us updated....and so happy to hear good news. Your story is full of faith and inspiration.

I do have a DLK question...for you...or as posted in another post...for Glenn.

Can DLK happen at anytime after having Lasik? In other words....five years from now (without any ehancement or manipulation to the flap) could a person get DLK? Is this always a risk to Lasik patients even months/years after surgery? I had lasik 3/19. I don't plan on having any future enhancements or anything, but am I always at risk for DLK?

[faithworks]

Thank you.

According to what I have read and heard on DLK, YES, people with LASIK are always at the risk of DLK. The possibility of this happening might be very less as compared to immediately after the surgery. But there is always at risk. Be sure not to abrase ur eyes or rub them with your hands. The flap might get a gap which might provide an entry for the microbes(i am not sure what they are called !) to get through. Prevention is always better then cure so always be alert. And if you find something fishy with your eyes rush to your doctor without a second thought.

Best,
Faithworks

[BAM17]

This is upsetting to find out. I am starting to feel like I was not given informed consent. In all the literature my surgeon's office provided to me, there were things that I was not told. LIke:

the flap never completely heals...and you will always be at risk for flap dislocation.

That DLK can occur years after...without any observed cause.

I feel like I may go through the rest of my life worrying about these things....and hopefully I have a long way to go, since I'm only 35! I did do my own research, but I feel like the above items, along with other items, should have been fully explained to me. Any thoughts?

[faithworks]

I bet I know how you feel... you are 35... I am 22 !!!...

I agree with you but you just don't need to worry as much as you are. Everything is fine with you. The flap does remain stable after 6 months is what I have heard. Just don't feel panicked but be sure to take precautionary measures to not make things go bad. You have to lose something to gain something. You would have a perfect vision without glasses now. Just consider taking these precautionary measures as ur duty to get glass free eyes. Take care. Faithworks.

[BAM17]

Hi Faithworks,
Thanks for the kind words. How long did you wear your shields at night? I'm three weeks post-op, but I'm afraid to stop wearing them..as I might rub my eyes while I'm sleeping. I also really miss being able to put my face in stream of water from the shower. I guess I never knew how imperative it would be to "never" rub my eyes again...or put them under any pressure of any kind...for the rest of my life. Do most go on to not think much about the flap that's there? Am I over obsessing about the flap too much? Thanks!

[griffin]

Hey there bam... from all the people ive known that have had lasik done... most in the military, none of them have had a flap related issue after the fact... i think you are being over worried about it... from whats been explained to me, just use common sense, wear eyeprotection when you're supposed to... racquetball and what not...

[BAM17]

Thanks, Griffin. Guess I'm just flap-o-phobic! I'm the one who experienced dislocated flaps the first day....so I've obsessed about it. How long did you wear your shields to bed? My surgeon told me 10 days...but I noticed on the FDA website it reads 1 month with eye shields at night. Thanks! Let us know how you're doing on your thread......Armyvet is wondering too :)

[griffin]

i wore them for the first couple of weeks and that was about it... i've had my eyes looked at a number of times and they havent said anything about the flaps being disturbed... most of my issues are related to the left over prescription i think... not being able to focus on things close up and mid range... strains and what not... maybe with this next exam they can get me in a set of glasses that will help with all that... who knows... my eyes make me tired and worn out... just want to feel normal again...

[faithworks]

hey bam, please dont be so worried about your flap. Just stay normal be happy yo have eyes without glasses and no complications.

Update:

Came back from the clinic today. The lens specialist tried a special kind of lens. Voila - left eye shows no sign of ghosting, blur, glare or any abnormality. I am happy I got my eye back and will be happy to stay on a lens forever (though I think my eyes will improve and I wont need dem after a couple of years - but who cares !!!). Actually the left eye (with lens) and right eye (without lens) both has 20/15 vision now.

I am happy to stay like this throughout my life now - will assume never had LASIK and will wear the lens as I used to 8 months back. Lot of things happened in between but that increased my faith in GOD.

FAITH WORKS - Indeed !!!

[griffin]

just out of curiosity faith, what is the prescription in the lens... what is it correcting for...

[BAM17]

Faith works indeed! Great news. So happy for you. Now why do you need the lens? Is it a prescription lens? Will you have to wear it all of the time?

My vision is pretty good. My right eye seems perfect....I think my left eye is a little undercorrected....which I will leave....as I approach my 40's maybe it will help with reading up close. I may need glasses at night, or in situations...but I'm doing ok right now. I have several episodes a day of very dry, red, irritated eyes. I guess it's the dry eye. Hoping that will get much better with time. It's always worse if I've been on the computer for a full day.

Great news for you. Please keep us updated! Where are you located? Are you near a major city with lots of good doctors to choose from?

[zhuki]

faithworks im so glad to hear the good news about you. Im going through the same aswell at the moment and i hope i will end as good as you!
just a few questions, how long did it take for you to notice the good change in the scarred eye (i think i have scarring too because theres starburts , halos, ghosting and i see a bit double! altho the doc said the dlk has cleared)
im 8 months post op and i already see a little difference but im still waiting and hoping for better.

oh and thank you and everyone for keeping us informed, you're all very helpful!

[Paulo]

well......i am from portugal n i have lasik in 18 of january 2010
i have dlk 4 on my right eye, n i am now farsighted
my doctor told me that i do not have to much scars or folds on my eye n the haze is almost gone, but my vision its not at all 100%.
well, i am depressing since the operation, n this forums give me some hope of recovery, specialy the case of faith, that almost revovered his vision completely
my doctor tell not to do anithing, just eye drops for dryness, and too wait
i guess, from what i have read and hear, that is the best option
do u recomend that i wear contacte lens on my dlk eye? n if so, what kind of contacte lens?
i realize that when i put eye drops, in the seconds imadiatly after my vision is good (what a feeling!), but then its returns to normal (:().
well thank u very much for this forum (unfortunately, portugal is a small country with very few cases of lasik complications), and for charing my problems with others
hope to hear from u soon

thank u very much

Paulo

[Paulo]

hey bam, please dont be so worried about your flap. Just stay normal be happy yo have eyes without glasses and no complications.

Update:

Came back from the clinic today. The lens specialist tried a special kind of lens. Voila - left eye shows no sign of ghosting, blur, glare or any abnormality. I am happy I got my eye back and will be happy to stay on a lens forever (though I think my eyes will improve and I wont need dem after a couple of years - but who cares !!!). Actually the left eye (with lens) and right eye (without lens) both has 20/15 vision now.

I am happy to stay like this throughout my life now - will assume never had LASIK and will wear the lens as I used to 8 months back. Lot of things happened in between but that increased my faith in GOD.

FAITH WORKS - Indeed !!!

faith works tell me please, i have dlk on my right eye, what kind of lenses do u use? i have hiperopya on my dlk eye, there is a lens for that? is there any danger of using a lense on the dlk eye?
thank u very much

Paulo

[Paulo]

well, i have posted about my condition n i would like to hear some experts about my dlk stage 4.
i was operated on 18 of january of 2010, n i have developed dlk 4 on my right eye, right on the third day post-op.
my doctor said the inflamation is almost gone n i dont have to many striae or fold or scarring on my eye, but i am farsighted now.
my question are:
is there any hope of full recovery?
is there, meantime, a contact lens that i can use to correct my farsithedness?
if so, it is recomendable tu use?
do u think that, when the hiperopia stabilizes, i should make an enhancment?
hope to hear from lasikexpert
thank u
paulo