Punctal Plugs? - Lasik Eye Surgery Message Board

dreeeemer · 01-25-2005, 09:16 AM

I did a search and see no mention of this... has anyone used them and, if so, do you think that they were a great benifit? I think they sound a little creepy... but if they will be a benifit to me in the long run then I will do it!

Hating glasses · 01-25-2005, 09:37 AM

Dre,
I read about them breifly but, I wouldn't even think about them unless you talk to your Lasik doctor and they say that you might have dryness in your eyes for longer than the healing time. Everyone has varying degrees of dryness post-op and can expect it to last for some months after the surgery according to my doctor. Do you have a pre-exisiting dry eye condition that you are worried about? I have read that there is a condition where people have dry eyes and they may not be a candidate for the surgery if that is the case but, I think that if you have it, your regular eye doctor may have already diagnosed you with it. Is that your concern? Otherwise, the plugs, from what I read, are for people who can't produce tears or moisture enough to keep their eyes lubricate way post-op long after the eyes have healed.
Talk to your doctor at LasikPlus or whichever place you choose for your exam. He or she can check you for dry eye syndrome and let you know if you are at risk for more than usual dryness in your eyes post op.

dreeeemer · 01-26-2005, 09:37 AM

Hi! thanks for your replies to both my threads... I was leaning towards lasik plus and your post to the other thread was a big help, but now the Vision Institute is offering me a significantly lower price (10% less than what my insurance discount price would be!) and really I have to think about the cost primarily.

As for the plugs, the Institue is the place that recomended them to me, I FEEL like my eyes are probably dryer than normal although I have never been diagnosed with it (this is one of the main reasons I want the procedure in the first place, my eyes are always bothered by contacts even the moisturizing ones). I would rather not spend the extra money (in fact I feel like this is something they 'add on' to up the price and thus make more money since the other place I went to didn't even offer them as an option.)

I am really nervous about the whole thing... just trying to do the right thing while saving money!

thanks again for your help!

Hating glasses · 01-26-2005, 10:09 AM

Dre,
I am glad I could be of some help. You might read several threads down. There have been posts regarding the dryness of one's eyes post-op and even after they have healed. Some people who have dry eyes already have had a worse experience with dry eyes. I don't want to discourage your from getting the surgery. But, I would really discuss the issue with both doctors to make sure that they still think you are a good candidate for the surgery. If dryness with contacts is a reason you want the surgery, you might talk to your doctor about that.

As far as price goes, you get what you pay for. If they are the same price before your insurance works their magic that is good. That means that the other place is probably pretty reputable since Lasik Plus is among the best of the best. I still highly recommend Lasik Plus simply because I know what they do and they do it right. Did you ask the doc at LasikPlus about punctal plugs? You might bring it up if you haven't already. They may not have mentioned it in the first place simply because it may not be a common factor. I think LasikPlus really does their best to provide all of the answers to the most common concerns and questions and they are extremely helpful and comforting, not to mention knowledgeable about all other questions. It can't hurt to ask if you haven't already.
Good luck with your decision.

KelvinG · 01-26-2005, 01:44 PM

I had dry eyes for 4-6 months after my surgery, and even now, 11 months later, I do get bothered by it occasionally, although I almost never use drops anymore.
I asked my optometrist about the plugs early on when my eyes were very dry and she said that they were only necessary in persons whose eyes were extremely dry. Although I felt like my eyes were "extremely dry", according to her they weren't that bad.

I must say, the one thing I didn't expect from the surgery is how long it took for the dry eye problem to clear up. In fact, although I'm very happy with my result now, I may not have done the surgery had I somehow known that the dryness would stick around for so long. It was a real pain to be putting in drops so frequently, and I got worried after awhile that I was doomed to live with perpetual dry eye. However, it got better, but it took awhile.

As for the price, absolutely DO NOT base your decision on price. Base it solely on the quality of the doctor and the reputation of the clinic. Eye surgery is not something to be compromised in anyway.