DLK in 1998 - Options?

[GeneralPatientInquiry]

I was diagnosed with severe DLK in 1998. My right eye is still pretty much useless. My cornea is too thin for further LASIK. The last options I was given were a cornea transplant or a lens implant. Neither of these appeal to me. Is there a better option today?

[LasikExpert]

Advanced DLK will cause destruction of the cornea. If your DLK reached this point, then a partial or full transplant may be the best option. Transplants are serious surgery and will have a long recovery period. Do you homework before you have any surgery.

If the corneal distortion is somewhat minor, it may be possible for a rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens to restore a significant amount of your vision quality. If the cornea has significant haze from the DLK, then treatment with Mitomycin C may be helpful.

Although the technology for treatment of DLK has not expanded much in the past few years, the understanding of DLK has. It would most certainly be in your best interests to be evaluated by a cornea specialist for medical options, and a good optometrists who has a significant amount of experience in fitting RGPs on post-LASIK patients.

[LasikExpert]

An additional possibility would be PRK through the Lasik flap or removal of the Lasik flap with PRK reshaping the cornea. These are agressive methods to rehabilitate an eye damaged by DLK, but should be discussed with your surgeon.