I am considering Lasik, however, have had terrible problems with dry eyes, allergies, etc. My eyes sometimes burn constantly, and I can no longer wear contacts or eye makeup. Also, if I don't get close to 8hrs of sleep a night my eyes burn ALL day. I went to see a doctor to see if I'm a candidate and he said yes, though was rather fast with the exam and when I asked if my dry/allergy eyes would have a problem, he just said "it won't make them better!" He never warned me against the surgery.

Reading posts on here make me worry, but I want to ask if anyone out there has had problems similar to mine and have had success with Lasik??

[This message has been edited by sadgirl222 (edited 05-30-2003).]

No, you are not a candidate! No, no no! Totally cross this off your list of possibilities. You are already experiencing major eye problems.. do you want to doom yourself to a lifetime of agony?

If you type "LASIK" into your web browser you'll likely hit upon a site much like this one where people discuss their bad outcomes with LASIK. Please read it. Some of these people feel suicidal.

I know many people have the procedure and do great. But it should be reserved for people with healthy eyes.

no no no no no no no no NO!!!!!!!

Don't have lasik surgery! With all of the problems that you are describing, you are NOT a candidate. NO NO NO! I also have the terrible dry eyes, allergy eyes, burning, etc... When I first started going to my ophthalmologist, I had told him that I was tired of wearing glasses, and he said that I could not wear contacts because of the fact that my eyes are so dry. So I asked him about Lasik. He asked me if I wanted to guarantee that I would have dry eyes for the rest of my life, because for people who have dry eyes previous to lasik surgery, it is deterimental. His answer was a resounding NO! He is a corneal surgeon and would have been the one to do the lasik had I been a good candidate for it. A lot of doctors just want the money and won't tell you that you are not a good candidate for the surgery. If I am not mistaken (somebody please correct me if I am), during lasik surgery they have to cut one of the nerves that helps to supply tears to the cornea in order to create the flap. If you have ever had even the tiniest, slightest bit of dry eyes, you are NOT a candidate.

If I were you, I would never go back to that dr again. How can he think you are a good candiate for lasik? NO!

I don't think you should have LASIK done either. I know that some nerves are severed during the procedure, and it can affect tear production. Dry eye problems can be made worse. I don't know that the condition is always made worse, but I'm thinking you wouldn't want to take a chance and be one of the ones who are worse off afterwards.

There is LASEK, which I understand is much less likely to cause dry eye problems...I don't know though. Nothing is 100% guaranteed, and "less likely" doesn't mean it can't/won't make it worse. LASEK is supposed to be safer than LASIK, and they don't have to cut a flap over the cornea like they do in LASIK. You may want to do some research on it.

Whatever you do, don't get LASIK done. And find a new doctor. The only safe option with no risk is to do nothing...I know, not what you want to hear. It's not what I wanted to hear either.

Chris

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!

Don't have lasik done if you already have dry eyes.....you could become absolutely miserable!!!!

I also think that it's time to look for a new doctor if he told you that even though you have dry eyes you are a candidate for lasik surgery.

Janettto

Thank you all for responding...

I have definately crossed Lasik off my list thanks to this message board and a little more research. I am sad, however, as my parents were going to buy it for me for a college graduation present http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

I hate glasses SO MUCH, half the time I walk around blind...I guess it's better than regretting the surgery from being in pain all the time.

LasEk has now caught my eye...though I have read it is not yet FDA approved. Has anyone here had this done? I haven't done much research on it, but I plan to. I really want to see freely!

Well I'm certainly glad that you have decided against lasik! I'm sure that something else will come along in the future that can eliminate the need for glasses without the side effects. In the meantime, try to find a pair of glasses that you really like, that make you look really cool. And as for a graduation gift, I am sure there will be something else that catches your eye (no pun intended!) http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

There is Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT), which is where you wear a set of contact lenses (FDA approved for overnight use...I know that's a concern for a lot of people) overnight, and then during the day you should be able to see clearly without the need for glasses or contacts. If you have dry eyes, I don't know if you'd be able to tolerate the contacts overnight or not, but you wouldn't have them drying out your eyes during the day at least. I don't know how well it works, but it sounds good.

If you want to look to the future, do a search for corneaplasty. It's similar to CRT, but permanent. Here's a brief description I found:
"A drug is introduced directly into the cornea that temporarily alters the molecular bonds between molecules in the cornea, thereby rendering it more malleable. A rigid contact lens of a shape desired for the cornea is worn for an extended period of time. The lens acts to mold the cornea to correct the refractive error. After the cornea's shape has changed to correct the refractive error, a second drug is introduced to return the cornea to its previous level of firmness." Anyway, the cornea then stays firm in it's new shape, so you can see clearly without any help. It's not yet approved by the FDA, but there's at least some hope in the future...at least for anyone who can tolerate a contact lens for a little while, and meet whatever other requirements it has.

I know how disappointing it is to not be able to do LASIK. I badly wanted to have LASIK done, and still do. Of course, I'm definitely not a candidate anyway...not only do I have dry eyes, but I have large pupils and a high refractive error. Oh well.

I have dry eyes also and cannot do the laser.
I'm walking sometimes blind also without glasses because I want to look like myself.
It's really horrible that there is no cure for people like us.
Think about it that way: People that already can wear contacts comfortably and look normal can do the operation only people with dry eyes that cannot wear contacts comfortably or not at all cannot do the laser and have to live till the rest of their lives with glasses. It's like rich become richer and poor become poorer.

I have read information that even if you have never had a problem with dry eyes that having lasik can cause this problem. I had been considering Lasik because of having problems with allergies and contact lens solution so I read everything I could about it. I now found a saline solution that does not cause allergies in my eyes. My husband will try to talk me into getting lasik sometimes because I complain about what a pain it is to have to wear contacts and glasses. I always say no though. After having so many problems with allergies in my eyes I worry that I could have a problem with Lasik and I am just not willing to take a chance.

Well yes. I've read that the side effects of doing the laser/lasik etc are dry eyes to most people. Now, when a person that already has dry eyes syndrom to start with doing this operation their dry eyes syndrom WILL GET WORST and it won't go back to how it was before the operation. People without dry eyes syndrom to start with who do the operation will get dry eyes as side effects BUT IT WILL GO BACK TO NORMAL.
About allergy? I have no clue.
I'm settle down in my hell life of glasses 4EVER. I cannot use contacts even.
If you can use contacts lenses, you are lucky, believe me.
To be honest with you, whatever glasses I wear it won't change that it's not me. I wish, oh I wish, that I could walk without them and look like myself.

I had Lasik almost two years ago and had dry eyes (had stopped wearing contacts because of the dry eye). My doctor told me that my eyes might be drier afterwards, but that he was going to have me use an extra moisturizing eye drop during the day and an eye gel at night. Honestly, the first two months after the Lasik were a pain (I was putting in drops every other minute it seemed), but I haven't needed a single eye drop in over a year.

I don't know if it was the way my doctor had me approach dealing with the dry eye or what, but my eyes are SO much better after the Lasik.

Most of my dryness came from wearing my contacts.

hi
i have very dry eyes also, doc gave me Restasis to try. i used it for 6 months and now stopped because my eyes are more watery.i also could not wear contacts without the pain and tried the new accuvue avanced, what a big difference, now i can wear contacts and not be in pain. i always wanted to get lasik but cant afford it.
ps i also tried the plugs in my eyes, had all removed but 1.

i have a question about the dry eyes aspect.. ive never been told by any opthamologist that i have dry eyes, nor do i use eye drops.. however, i have been unsuccessful and unable to wear contacts b/c they never feel comfortable and seem to dry out my eyes while they are in. does this mean that theres a possibility i couldnt get lasik just because i cant wear contacts? i mean i also i have other issues that i feel might disallow me from having laser surgery (high astigmatism, cant see near or far, etc) but i am praying all the time that i can someday get it..but im almost avoiding the consulation for fear that they may say no.. but i cant imagine that just b/c i cant get contacts to work, that it automatically means i cant get lasik type surgery either. what do u think?

Hi
Although my eyes are not as severe as others I wonder if anyone has gotten Lasik who had a problem with getting stys. If I accidently fall asleep or my eyes water just a little bit I get a sty, could that mean my eyes are to sensitive for surgery or would lasik help that?

I get stys on my bottom left eye lid. Just always make sure to clean your eyelids well and that should help. It wasn't a problem with me but, I never brought it up with my doctor. I just forgot to say something about it. I have had one or two stys since I had my surgery. I just try to keep my eyelids as clean as possible with the exception of makeup. Anyway, if it is something you are worried about, talk to a Lasik specialist and see what they have to say about it.

I have allergies & dry eyes. I had the Lasik & got the puntal plugs put in. They really help the dry eyes.