I had LASIK on 11/22/04. I was a good candidate but my eyes are drier then most people. The procedure went fine. My next day check up was fine. Over the next few days, I noticed my left I was seeing clear and well but the right was slow in coming around. My one week check up revealed striae (I think macro) in my right eye. My surgeon carefully looked at it and said that it only just barely protrudes into the axis. The right eye vision was 20-40. He ran me through the tests again that I had before LASIK and had me look through a lens that cleared up my right eye vision. He recommended not lifting the flap and that an enhancement was the best course of action because a prescription could correct the vision. I got a second opinion and that doctor agreed about not lift the flap.

In observing my right eye vision, I now know that the poor vision is due to double vision. No real difference at night or day. In a pin hole, I can actually see the thin blurring line that is causing the double vision. It runs right through the center of my axis – coincidentally in just about the same direction as the supposedly harmless striae. It seems that my right eye has some kind of imperfection, whether it is striae, irregular astigmatism, under-correction, or something else, I can’t seem to get a 100% accurate answer.

Is microstriae harder to detect then macrostriae? Because a lens corrects my poor vision, can I rule out that there is some kind of hard-to-detect striae in my axis or some other flap problem?

I really don’t want to have an enhancement if the real problem is not under-correction. I may come out worse. I wonder about the odds of having non-protruding striae AND under-correction in the same eye. Sometimes were there is smoke, there is fire.

You need to see your doctor back, and go over your situation further. If the vision is correctable to a crisp 20/20 or better - then typically microstriae are watched. But if the refraction provides a poor quality 20/20 - then a flap lift may be helpful.
As you are probably aware - any procedure has risks - even flap lifts for striae.

I hope this helps

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I had lasik 5 days ago. The left eye seems perfect-no discomfort at all. The right eye took some stress from the suction ring and was very bloodshot after. It is still somewhat bloodshot and the bloodshot seems to be moving to around the iris area. The vision in this eye is flaky. Occasionally it seems okay, but most times it seems blurry to read writing on my t.v. that sits 8 feet away-but I see it clearly with just my left eye, although I tested 20/20 the day after surgery. The dr said it would take a while to see the full results. I wouldn't worry, except that my left eye seemed so immediately perfected. Any suggestions or words of encouragement?