Do I have grounds to sue???

06-06-2011, 11:18 AM

OK, I have another thread on corneal abrasions on this forum. If you would like the full story, in detail, please check it out.

For this thread, I will summarize the history of my problem.

19 days ago, I had Intralase Wavefront Bladeless Custom LASIK. The procedure, after all, was a success.........not really

I went in today, for an early appointment with my doc. He didn't originally schedule the next appointment until three weeks out. I had a one week appointment and then the three week appointment was scheduled.

I had a corneal abrasion during my procedure and have been healing from that for the past 19 days. It healed perfectly and everything looks great today. There is just one problem. My left eye is still blurry and my right eye is perfect.

So, I have been wondering what is going on. I go in to see my doc today and right off the bat, he is short with me and aggressive. I knew this wasn't going to be an easy appointment.

We go through the motions and I start asking questions right off the bat. I ask if I have another tear, a wrinkle, epithelial buildup under my flap, debris under my flap, and so on. He tells me to notice how quiet he is and that he won't give me an answer until the exam is over.

Really? You can't answer questions as we go? Anyway, the end of the exam comes around and we have a verdict. Here it is:

My left eye, the problem eye, has healed perfectly. Yep, perfectly. WHAT? I then ask, "Then why is my left eye so much worse off than my right eye?"

He proceeds to tell me, "I commonly under-correct one eye to aid in nearsightedness later on in life." OH MY GOD! He did this on purpose! WHAT?

So, the doc is telling me that I paid almost $4000 for him to under-correct my left eye? NO SIR, I DIDN'T PAY FOR THAT!!!

I can't believe this. This is a nightmare. He then tells me that we will let it go for another two months and then re-evaluate. He told me that my eyes should even out.

This is crazy! I don't really know what to do here. I know I need to wait another two months just to see if things do even out, but what then if they don't! Should I seek legal action? This guy did it on purpose and it wasn't a mistake!

PLEASE RESPOND WITH ANY TIPS/ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME!!!!!

I need help.

06-11-2011, 02:22 PM

It is very typical to correct using monovision where one eye, your non-dominant, is undercorrected. This allows for reading without glasses. Or you can have both eyes corrected to 20/20. This is an option that was explained to me up-front. Monovision is for those over 40 who are beginning to deal with Presbyopia. Perhaps your dr. thought you wanted monovision and that is why he undercorrected one eye?

06-11-2011, 08:33 PM

I understand what you are saying landar, but I didn't ask for this. Unfortunately he decided, on his own, that this would be best for me.

I am 33 and have a while until I need reading glasses. I went over my medical consent forms and it didn't indicate any option for monovision. This doc should have received my "OK" before proceeding with this modification.

I really don't want to take legal action, I just want what I paid for. I'm disappointed that I might need an enhancement for what I should have received in the first place.

Sad story, but I am willing to give it a total of 3 months before I decide what to do. Maybe my vision will even out enough by then to warrant keeping what I have.

Thanks for the reply.

YOU'RE THE ONLY REPLY SO FAR.........................

06-13-2011, 01:06 PM

I had the surgery done seventeen years ago and my surgeon left one eye undercorrected for the same reason. I THANK HIM EVERY DAY as I watch my friends pull out their reading glasses.

I hope to have a slight enhancement soon, and I want the surgeon to do the same. In seventeen years I have never noticed the difference in my eyes unless I purposely close one.
I'd wait it out.

06-13-2011, 01:43 PM

Thanks mraleigh01 for the response. I am going to wait for my vision to stabilize before making any decisions on what to do. I think that's fair for both parties.

How undercorrected are you? If you like it, I may keep my vision like this.

06-13-2011, 04:23 PM

I could be wrong, it was so long ago, but one eye was 20/20. The other may have been 20/25 or 20/30.

Since then I have easily passed my driver's license vision test unaided and the req. is 20/40.

Two years ago my vision slipped to 20/80. I had a good fifteen year run with no glasses/contacts, for which I am forever grateful. In all that time, I never was aware one eye was stronger than the other, like I said, unless I was purposely using just one eye. Even that eye was at worst 20/30, so not a big deal.
Had my surgeon not purposely left one eye "off" when I was twenty-five I would be wearing bifocals now and I am only 43!

Now I am looking at my options for an enhancement. Presurgery in 1994 I was -9.25 and -8.75. I am no where near that now, but I was pretty spoiled by not wearing glasses for so long. Hope they can do something for me.

I hope you end up with as positive experience as I did. Even knowing it only lasted fifteen years it was still worth it.
For what it's worth, I had most of my surgeries done pre-LASIK. I had old fashioned PRK, ALK, RK, and one LASIK enhancement. A total of nine times under the knife/laser. Still worth it.

06-13-2011, 06:09 PM

Thanks for responding. I'm glad to hear that I am in the same boat as you, for the most part. I think both of our undercorrections are about the same. I can only hope for great results like yours.

If I am able to see clearly with no problems, with both eyes open, then I will be ok with the surgery.

The prospect of NOT having to wear glasses to read does excite me! I'm dealing with corneal haze right now. I had an epithelial scratch during LASIK and it healed perfectly. I still have some haze though and I have blurred vision as a result of the haze.

I am praying that it clears up soon and I can test out my new vision and judge for myself.

It's great to hear you talk about how happy you are. I hope I can say the same when it's all said and done.

Thanks

06-16-2011, 08:35 PM

Don't lose your cool yet.
I had surgery several years ago and only had my dominant eye done...it is great.
My left(dominant) ended up at 20/15 (was 20/50 pre-op) and my right was about 20/40 at the time. I suspect that my right eye is maybe 20/50 by now.

I RARELY ever notice that the eyes are different. This monovision will allow me to go a lot longer without needing reading glasses.
I highly recommend that you leave it the way it is.

One benefit to me that I only had to pay for one eye to be done, but the DR explained the monovision thing to me and said I would not need the other done...he was right.

Do I have grounds to sue???

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