LASIK Stories, Opinions and Letters
We want to hear from you! If you have something you would like published, please let us know. Or just drop us a line. We welcome emails from anyone with an interest in LASIK, including the medical community. Even personal injury attorneys are welcome to write us -- you're ok with us! We especially enjoy hearing from prospective patients who found this site and learned about the risks of LASIK -- it makes all of our efforts worthwhile. We respect all requests for anonymity. Email your thoughts to lasikcomplications AT yahoo DOT com (please excuse the anti-spam email format).
Patient emails doctor seeking help after disastrous monovision LASIK
A brief synopsis of my problems after Lasik surgery in May of 2009... I'm a reserve Deputy Sheriff and work full-time for [redacted] so I'm in the field all day and every day and changing from sun glasses to reading glasses started to become quite problematic. WOW, what I would do to have those problems back after the absolute devastation to my life... I'm currently suffering from extreme dry-eye, red-eye, painful-eye, lost vision up close, lost vision at night and extreme sensitivity to sun light after I was assured how safe the procedure was and I was told their track record was perfect by the Dr. and her staff and I would be without glasses or contacts.
Letter to the Editor 1/31/2010
Happy LASIK patients may not realize or acknowledge the harm they suffered from LASIK for years; nonetheless, the damage is there. Medical research demonstrates (a) that the LASIK flap never heals and may be accidentally dislodged for the rest of a patient's lifetime, (b) that the cornea is permanently weakened and may develop ectasia weeks, months, or years later, leading to vision loss, (c) that corneal nerves which stimulate tear production are severed and destroyed during LASIK, and that these nerves never fully recover -- potentially leading to permanent dry eye disease, (d) that having LASIK causes problems in the future for glaucoma screening and cataract surgery -- prompting the FDA to recommend that LASIK patients obtain a copy of their LASIK medical record, (e) persistent decrease in corneal cells (keratocytes) -- it is unknown how this decrease affects long-term viability of the cornea, and (f) that visual quality at night is permanently reduced after LASIK, even when the patient has 20/20 or better daytime vision. To add insult to injury, visual outcomes of LASIK decline over time. "LASIK success" is like saying "the surgery was a success but the patient died".
Cataract Surgery Multifocal Lens Implant Followed by LASIK
After implantation of the lens, the patient's vision was not clear. In an attempt to correct this, the surgeon performed LASIK on her eye. In this case, the LASIK surgery created more problems than it solved. The patient's pupils are larger that the optical zone of the implanted lens. In addition, she sees glare, flare and multiple images due to her irregular post-LASIK cornea.
The National Research Center for Women & Families, FDA LASIK docket comment - 9/14/2009
From the letter: To ensure informed consent, the FDA should reach out more effectively to mass media about their LASIK warnings and require that physicians using LASIK devices provide short-easy to understand booklets about LASIK risks at least one week prior to the procedure. The information in the booklets should be reiterated by the health professionals, not undermined with reassuring statements such as “this procedure is very safe” or “all my patients are very happy.”
"I just wanted to see the clock in the morning" - Anonymous
I'm not 20/20 anymore. Like a lot of LASIK patients, my vision regressed. I just wish it had regressed right back to exactly the way it was before LASIK. I no longer just see the soft blur of myopia, even though I am nearsighted again. Now my out-of-focus vision is sort of superimposed with a distorted image caused by LASIK. Glasses correct the myopia, but the distorted image remains. It's like being trapped behind someone else's contact lenses -- someone else's very dirty, scratchy contact lenses.
Natalie - Brunswick, Maine
I had Lasik on 7/14/06 after receiving a flyer from Eyecare Medical Group in Portland, Maine, telling me to "Throw Away my Glasses or Contact Lenses" and that Lasik was "Safe and Effective" and no, there was no mention of risks on the flyer. Within days of the surgery I developed severe dry eye that then spiraled into a full blown and severe case of blepharitis.
Patient undergoes multiple surgeries after failed LASIK
Patient with advanced keratoconus undergoes LASIK, 5 PRK retreatments, LASIK retreatment, develops ectasia, undergoes right eye corneal transplant, LASIK on the transplant, LASIK retreatment on the transplant, corneal transplant on the left eye, bilateral INTACS, and cataract surgery.
Grateful for finding this website
I had a consultation on Friday, 2 days ago, that was very professional and reassuring... I was really ready to go for it! But tonight I was thinking more about how much I rely on my eyesight and how many things I would not be able to do if I became blind or had my vision impaired... So, I did more web searching and found your site...
Ophthalmologist tells the FDA, "We are playing Russian roulette with these patients".
This letter addresses my concern about the safety of lasik surgery. I have practiced ophthalmology for thirty-three years. After taking all the courses on LASIK, I decided not to do the surgery. I believe LASIK surgery is not consistent with the ophthalmologist's hypocritic oath of "first do no harm."
Military physician serving in Iraq: LASIK testimonial
Read the experience of a military physician who experienced complications of LASIK and witnesses first-hand the devastating impact of post-LASIK dry eyes on soldiers and marines in Iraq.
Ophthalmologist comments on citizen petition to ban LASIK
The statement that "one percent" or "less than one percent" of patients undergoing refractive surgery experiences complications is widely quoted in the lay press and is often stated by refractive surgeons, who also report their anecdotal experience with many satisfied patients. My purpose in writing today is to debunk this number.
Ophthalmologist expresses serious concerns to the FDA about the practice of LASIK
After several years of immersion in parts of the refractive surgery literature, and review of data sources such as written FDA documents and MDR reports and the minutes of other ODP meetings, I have concluded that there are serious problems with the FDA's management of corneal refractive surgery clinical trials, device approval, and post-market surveillance... Failure to ensure that the clinical trials included tests to effectively quantify perceptible visual aberrations (commonly described as starbursts and halos) induced by a polyfocal cornea overlying the entrance pupil, and to determine their impact on daily vision function (glare disability)... Failure to adequately consider the financial disincentive of refractive surgeons to report poor post-market outcomes which might be device-related -- "don't ask (the patient) and don't tell (the manufacturer or the FDA)."
Physician writes to the FDA, "This procedure is in one word, immoral".
I have learned the hard way that if given the permission to do harm, it will be done if the financial reward is worth the risk. The FDA can act now to help prevent future lives from being ruined. By removing the option for refractive surgeons to make a market out of selling a person a dream, you will be saving lives... The field of ophthalmology was doing just fine financially before refractive surgery and it will be just fine once it is discontinued... I would be the last person to speak badly about another physician because we all make mistakes from time to time, but this sub-speciality has been taken over by money and this procedure is in one word, immoral... I can't help but wonder if someone from the AMA or FDA had just said, "We are drawing the line here, the eyes are just too important", myself and about 50,000 others or more would not be dealing with life long complications from a medically unnecessary procedure.
Former President, CFO of large LASIK provider recommends greater scrutiny of LASIK
I want to express my concern over the lack of oversight of surgeons performing LASIK. As the former President and CFO of a large LASIK provider in California, I have been appalled at the nonchalant attitude so many surgeons have when performing this procedure... I also believe the studies showing 1 out of 20 are dissatisfied under represents the real numbers.
Ophthalmologist warns the FDA that LASIK-induced ectasia is a serious problem
Myself as a refractive surgeon I see many patients with many serious problems after LASIK, notably keratectasia... I feel there has been a great disservice to the patients by doing LASIK for so many years... One remarkable point is the new treatment for keratectasia. Prior to the introduction of cornea cross linking [CCL] treatment every body asked about keratectasia was stating that they did not have any cases. Standard statement was, I did thousands procedures and I never have keratectasia. Now that CCL is available the very same surgeons present clinical trials with the beneficial results of CCL after LASIK induced keratectasia.
Manifesto of LASIK regret and despair...
When I went in for the surgery LASIK, I remembered that I was nervous. I was presented with 3 valiums were pushed at me to swallow and then they wanted me to read the consent form. I do not usually take drugs so I put the 3 vailums down on a table and began to read the consent form...
Letter to the FDA, Life in LASIK Hell
As it turns out, the hyperopia was not the worst symptom. Since I had my surgery in the spring, the long periods of sunlight masked the glare, halos and starbursts that would be the focus of my most intense fears. I soon discovered that stop lights at night were an unrecognizable mess of glare, LED lights created huge streaks of light, etc. My fear now became panic... Sixteen months of hell for me and my family; untold thousands of dollars on surgery, optometrists, glasses, and contact lenses and I still had terrible vision.
Lancaster New Era: Letter to Editor 2/14/2008
"This is in response to the Lancaster New Era's Saturday, Feb. 9, article entitled "When Lasik fails." After reading this article, I knew I needed to tell my story.
I had Lasik surgery in October of 2002 and my life has never been the same since.
The surgery has left me with severe dry eye, halos, starbursts and extreme sensitivity to light. I cannot be around heaters or any type of forced air flow. Air-conditioning makes my eyes worse.
Because of this problem, I have trouble going to malls, restaurants or even going for a walk on a windy day. I have had punctual plugs, tried just about every eye drop on the market, wear special "goggles" to keep air away from my eyes and wear sunglasses most of the time to cut down on glare.
I have seen five ophthalmologists (two at Johns Hopkins) and none of them will say my problems are a direct result of Lasik surgery. I cannot read or watch TV for long periods of time. Computer work is totally out for me as it makes my dry eye much worse. A simple pleasure such as a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, I can no longer enjoy as these are diuretics and affect my eyes.I have lost two homes, had to quit three jobs and have gone through all my savings since having this procedure done. Is there a correlation between depression and this procedure? You be the judge!"
Linda Shifflet
Elizabethtown
LASIK Bait and Switch Trick - Anonymous
I had become contact lens intolerant and was considering LASIK surgery when I saw the LASIK ad in the newspaper. The price sounded almost too good to be true... Later on I would learn that the laser that was used on me couldn't treat less than .5 D astigmatism. The LASIK center had tried to scam me into paying twice the quoted price.
LASIK Surgeon Greed - Written by an Ophthalmologist
Unfortunately, some doctors allow greed to get in the way of a patient's best interest... It is an outrage that the profit-motivated refractive surgeon is relegated the responsibility of providing "informed consent". This is a blatant conflict of interest... While I am no fan of the malpractice profession, its sting should be felt by those who set aside their Hippocratic oath for short term profitability and volatile patient satisfaction.
Police Officer Loses Sight after LASIK, Requires Corneal Transplant
My name is Patrick Sheahan. I had lasik eye surgery at the age of 23. When I went in for a consultation at [redacted] they said I was a perfect candidate. I was only -1.25 in each eye and could almost make due without glasses. After the lasik surgery my left eye slowly started to deteriorate...
DISGUSTEDDMD
My lasik travesty then began in mid-2003, where, after a lengthy sales pitch and many lies, I was butchered. I was relatively calm the first year. The double vision, I was assured, would go away, due to the fact that the “cornea heals slowly.” I was also told to not worry, because the dryness in my eyes would subside after about six to ten months…
Risky Practices of LASIK Surgeons - Anonymous
It's as if LASIK surgeons feel it's better not to know the true thickness of the flap in order to protect themselves from liability... Reuse of blades is known to increase the risk of complications, but LASIK surgeons apparently don't care...
Iowa patient
Anyway, I decided to go through with it. I am a natural pessimist, so I struggled mightily with the decision. I knew that there were risks. Of course, I was lied to and told that new technology has “virtually eliminated” the risks. I was sold the biggest bottle of snake oil of all time, and drank it all, because I wanted to believe.
Jeff, Fayetteville NC
After the [LASIK] seminar I felt so selfish and very bad for the people that were signing up to have this procedure done to them that was being unknowingly sugar coated. And obviously for the woman what had it done right in front of me, and doesn't realise what just happened to the only set of eyes she will ever have.
Letter from an MD: "... if there is a Hell, there is a special place in it for refractive surgeons."
I have severe dry eye and had to have both my lower puncta cauterized three months ago. I've also developed erratic visual acuity and loss of contrast sensitivity; glasses and contacts can't help since refraction for me is a moving target. I also now have terrible accommodative dysfunction which no one seems to be able to explain. I guess this generates a lot of the eye pain that I experience.
Patient Letter - Name Withheld by Request
If you would have difficulty handling lifelong, permanent, irreparable and debilitating damage to your vision and/or eye pain, then do NOT under any circumstances have any elective surgery (refractive or otherwise) on your eyes.
Patient "Doing Well" - Name Withheld by Request
"doing well"...Those words sum up the victimization of patients. No matter how bad the situation, the doctor writes it off, dismisses it.
Custom LASIK Devastates 21-Year Old
"They told me it would go away in a few days, then a week, then a month...that it was 'contrast sensitivity' and that it was perfectly normal...
Complications are EVERYWHERE!
Here is a list of the people I have encountered with LASIK complications since my surgery a number of months ago:
1. A young man (mid 20'S) sitting in my surgeon's waiting room with me also had large pupils and has severe night vision starbursts and halos...