Dr. Edward Boshnick: "Over the years I've had the misfortune of examining hundreds of patients who have lost quality vision and suffered severe depression as a result of lasik surgery. Two of these patients were so depressed by their post-surgical vision loss that they attempted suicide. In fact, there are several documented cases of post-lasik suicides."
Source: A Few Words About LASIK
We are presenting this information because people, particularly prospective LASIK patients, need to know that LASIK complications may be emotionally devastating. If you are experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts after LASIK, please get professional help.
Dr. Edward Boshnick testifies at an FDA hearing regarding LASIK post-market issues on 4/25/2008:
Testimony of Todd Krouner, Esq. during FDA hearing on April 25, 2008
Todd Krouner, attorney for the widow of a LASIK patient who took his life in March, 2008, gave this slide presentation during his testimony to the FDA advisory panel, including 3 pages of the suicide note which states:
"DO NOT HAVE LASIK SURGERY! Tell the media!!!"
Beth Kotsovolos, wife of LASIK patient Matt Kotsovolos, testifies at April 25, 2008 FDA hearing:
Patient with burning dry eyes after LASIK commits suicide
From the article: "'He went for a walk and my brother though it was strange because he usually always took his dog with him but he didn't take his dog with him on this walk. He didn't come back, and my brother, obviously feared the worst,' says Roger Pedretti, Robert’s older brother. On that February day four years ago Robert Pedretti ended his life with a blast from his shotgun...
'I was around him all the time and despite reading afterwards the degree to which he was suffering he, I think tried as much as he possibly could to look like his normal self.' But inside, Robert was dealing with a job change, depression, and health problems. 'I didn't know his eyes were burning to the extent because of Lasik eye surgery or his ears were ringing.'
Therapist, Dr. Joel Rooney says that combination, for a man, at that age can be lethal...
Now his family has his memories, and his writings, which have given them insight into his suffering. 'He said it was like a cancer, like a terminal illness that you just couldn't get through and the pain was too much to overcome it he couldn't live that way anymore,' says his brother."
Haverford man found dead at old hospital site
From the article: "While many patients achieve satisfactory outcomes, Dorrian began experiencing debilitating visual aberrations following surgery, such as glare, double-vision or ghosting, blurred vision, halos, and impaired night and low-light vision."
"Gerry Dorian said his son consulted many specialists and closely followed developments in the technology, hoping for a breakthrough that could reverse the damage. Colin took his own life after concluding “that wasn’t going to happen,” Gerry Dorrian said."
"Colin left a message on his computer indicating he would kill himself if he couldn’t get his vision corrected, Gerry Dorrian said."
“There wasn’t anything else going on in Colin’s life that would have driven him to this,” Gerry Dorrian said. “For some people, the outcome of LASIK can be impossible to deal with.”
Some link depression, failed lasik. Patients with impaired sight turn suicidal; surgeons reject any connection
The News & Observer 2/3/2008
Sabine Vollmer, Staff Writer
From the article: "Patients who undergo vision-correcting laser eye surgery sign a release form with an extensive list of risks, but some researchers and former patients say a potential complication is not mentioned: depression that can lead to suicide. In response to patient complaints, the Food and Drug Administration plans to convene a large, national study to examine the relationship of lasik complications and quality of life, including psychological problems such as depression. Malvina Eydelman, an ophthalmologist with the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health, wrote in an e-mail message that the scant clinical data available "failed to suggest significant problems following lasik surgery," but she said the FDA wants a broad and systematic review. She wrote, "We also noted that quality of life issues related to lasik had not been evaluated consistently, and there were few reports of well-designed studies." Frustration and even sorrow can follow any unsuccessful surgery, but when the procedure leaves a patient with unremitting eye pain or permanently impaired vision, the emotional toll can be particularly severe."
Robert Latkany, M.D.:
"I have patients from around the world. They’re desperate and crying out for help,” he said. “It’s borderline scary. Numerous times I’ve heard people say they want to commit suicide. To the eye doctor, [dry eye] is just a nuisance [when], in fact, these patients are really suffering.”
Reported cases of post-LASIK depression in the medical literature
Disappointment of patients on antidepressant therapy after excimer laser treatment.
Cataract Refract Surg. 2006 Oct;32(10):1775-6.
Celik L, Kaynak T, Ozerdem A, Kocak N, Kaynak S.
Excerpts:
Case 1
A 46-year-old woman was admitted with complaints of severe dry-eye symptoms, blurred and double vision, halos around objects, and inability to look at oncoming car lights. She had had excimer laser surgery 2 years earlier for myopia, which she said was around −10.00 diopters (D) and −11.50 D in the right and left eyes, respectively... Severe dry eye and visual disturbances due to a mid-dilated pupil were diagnosed. The prescription included frequent instillation of artificial tears and pilocarpine drops 4 times daily. Punctum plugs were also advised, but the patient did not want another ocular procedure. She called the office 4 days later from a psychiatry clinic where she was hospitalized because of intolerable visual disturbances resulting from longstanding pupil dilation. The patient did not return for a follow-up visit.
Case 2
A 34-year-old woman reported dryness of the eyes and visual disturbances after LASIK 11 months earlier. According to her statements, the refraction in her spectacles was approximately −8.00 D and −7.00 D. She was receiving antidepressant therapy with seroxate; one reason she had LASIK was to improve her mood and increase her self-confidence. She reported that the result of the surgery was a “catastrophe,” “worse than anything I could imagine,” and that “life became a burden” for her.
I've reached the end
Originally posted on Dr. Gerald Horn's board at http://www.chicagolasercenter.com
Posted on Wednesday, 23 May 2001, at 8:13 p.m.
I cannot battle this anymore, there is no current and there will be no future hope for me. I am so sad that my life has been stolen from me this way. How did this nightmare happen? Is this real? Did I really do this to myself? How did my eyes end up so screwed? How can my prick doctor sit there and tell me I'm just "too picky" about my vision? Oh sorry, my expectations were too high. Yeah, I guess by expecting to only see ONE of every object was asking too much. And I should be happy with 20/35 vision, so what that it is doubled and with huge starbursts at night. I cannot believe this is the way my life ends, I had such a great life, so care free and easy going. All of this so I could play basketball without contacts. I was so stupid. I was so gullible to believe the hype. Anyone who is considering this surgery AFTER READING THIS board is stupid. I only discovered the real problems AFTER my surgery. AFTER it was too late. And then I found this board and surgicaleyes.
DR. Horn, how can you risk this procedure with the most precious thing people have? You read the problems people are having here. You know that even with ALL of the precautions taken that people can STILL have bad outcomes. How, knowing this could destroy someones ENTIRE LIFE, how can you still do this? You warn them? Does that make it any different? How can you live with yourself? Have you ever had a bad outcome? Yes? Then how can you continue doing this? No? Then quit now while you're ahead. I know one thing is for sure, If I were responsible for someone who's life was COMPLETELY DESTROYED like mine is, I wouldn't do it. I couldn't live with myself. But do you know what my doctor does? he sits there while I tell him how desperate I am and how I can't live with the complications of my surgery and he says "everything looks good" I don't see any problems. And then he rushes me out the door so he can see his next patient. What is this? How can someone be so cruel? I am devasted, on more than one occasion I have told him that I am ready to commit suicide because of my problems and he dosen't say anything. Sometimes I think he wishes I would just so I would stop bothering him. Well, I hope he is happy. I'm sure he will convince himself that I had some sort of mental disorder, he pretty much already has. I've overheard him telling his staff that I was suffering from depression and I was "obsessive". Well guess what doc, you would be to if you only had my eyes. I say this to my doctor... I know I'm going to Hell because I'm commiting suicide, but guess what so are yoU! And guess what, in Hell, they let the lasik patients do the surgery on the doctors.> See ya around.
My pain now is not from my eyes, but from the thoughts of how devasted my family will be from this. I made the biggest mistake of my life, the biggest mistake ANYONE COULD POSSIBLY make. In one instant my life was destroyed and now my family and friends will suffer to. I only hope that they know this is to end my suffering. What kind of life would I have had? To live in pain, misery, depression, sadness, regret, anger? What good would that have been? I hope they forgive me, I hope they understand that I wasn't just "crazy" but that I decided a life like this was not worth living.
I fear that my writing this letter may cause others to feel the same way. Please GOD help these people. I have considered just deleting this whole letter, but when will this madness called lasik end? What would I accomplish by just ending my life without anyone knowing this caused it? I want the doctors, the people to all know this is one potential outcome you don't hear about.