I just wanted to let everyone who is not optimistic about healing with dry eyes, you are most likely going to heal at a slower pace after your lasik. It feels like forever before your eyes are feeling better. I am at my 2 month mark post op lasik and I thought my dry eyes were never going to feel better. I was slow healing, even though the day after surgery I had 20/15 and 20/20 thereafter, I felt like someone had put bags of sand in my eyes. I never scratched, but I wanted to so bad. I can say after weeks of fustration the whole procedure was worth it. My eyes are feeling so much better and my surgeon and his staff were very honest about possible side effects. That has helped alot. Don't give up and keep using all of the drops your doctor has prescribed for you and or let them know it isnt working and try a different method with your doctors help. I tried several different drops before I found the perfect drops that has changed my dry eyes into I CAN FINALLY SEE eyes. I could not wear contacts anymore and I have severe astigmatism in my left eye and dry eyes before the surgery, so I was taking a gamble on the healing process. Don't give up! It could take months for you to heal, it happened to me and I am glad I was patient and able to communcicate with my doctor when I needed him.. Thank you Dr. Grant Geske and all of your staff out of Grand Junction Colorado.

Bridget,

Thank you very much for your expression of concern and ultimately delight in your LASIK. As a part of my responsibilities at our organization I respond to patient concerns in forums such as this. So often people who visit here have problems that are temporary, but we don't hear when they resolve. All we know was the report of the problem; we too often don't get to hear the ultimate success.

Congratulations, and I am sure your story will help relieve some of the anxiety of others in a similar situation.

Glenn Hagele
CRSQA
http://www.USAEyes.org

I am not a doctor.

I hope that my expirience helps others too. Healing is a long process and I think people forget that LASIK is an actual surgery and not a quick fix cosmetic procedure. We all heal at different speeds and patience is key. I have had good and bad days were I hated the fluctuations and dry eyes, but I found an eyedrop that saved me and reminded myself that if I protect my eyes they would give back the gesture. I hardly have any more "bad" days and I tell anyone who has complained about contacts or glasses to look into LASIK. Good sunglasses, avoid glare from PC or TV, stores with strong floresent lights and moisterize will do amazing things and don't stop because you feel better because keeping up the routine will actually preserve your sight. I still have 20/20 and plan on keeping my routine to avoid the possibilty of losing any sight. Thank you for you kind words and I hope there are other people with success stories!

bridget,congrats on your success.Couple of questions if you don't mind answering.Did you have any visual abberations(halos,ghosting,etc.)during this slow healing period?If so,how did they change thru the months?Now that you are at the end of the healing period did you retain your accuity at 20/20?

Hi Bridget,
Congratulations on a successful procedure! Thanks for sharing your story. It is hard to find stories about people who have problems, but then eventually get better! I am almost at 5 months and am still having dry eyes, although my problems didnt' really start until around 1.5 to 2 months. I'm trying really hard to stay optimistic, but it is very hard at times. Luckily, my eyes are at a point now where I can be comfortable most of the time. Sometimes they even feel back to normal, which is encouraging! I was wondering..what kind of drops did you find eventually worked for you? Do you still use them, or are your eyes completely back to normal now without them? Also, during your healing process, did you have fluctations with your dryness, or was if more of a steady improvement. I guess what I mean is did you have a good day, then a bad day, etc. I seem to go through periods where everything feels great, and then the next week, they feel dry again? I was just wondering if this is normal. Thanks!

Michelle

Charles,

I meant to mention something else in my post. You had asked Bridget about any visual issues during healing, so I thought I would share mine. Initially I had some problems with what I would call glare, or haziness. Not sure how to describe it, but things looked fuzzy around lights, windows, the television screen etc. This was only in my left eye and disappeared around the 5 week mark.

Michelle

I use Allergans Refresh Liquigel!! It comes in a bottle, but works wonders. I still use it because a nurse told me even though I will have good days before my third month check up, I could lose some vision from my severe dry eyes. So I keep them "lubed" daily. My eyesite has driven my nuts day to day. From clear to blurry, but the longer it has been and the more I protect my eyes from the sun and glares, the better the dryness and clarity has been. The second month I was soo frustrated from the day to day chge and no night driving I was a wreck. It passed and I am no so dramatic...(a hard confession for me), honestly I was depressed. It really does take time, That was a major surgery, not a fly by night cosmetic thing, and so healing isn't instant. Your eyes are very important and being patient is key to success. I hope I helped and any more questions, please let me know. Good luck.

Yes Charles I had "halos" during the healing process at night. They were strong around street lights, oncoming traffic lights, the red,yellow,green traffic signals, and the t.v. pc was painfully glowy(a word?). During the day sunglasses, sunglasses. I mean a good pair with strong UV protection,wear them stores with strong floresent lights, and maybe if u are in the house with strong sunlight pouring in. I can't stress how important it was to protect my eyes. What a pay off. It was very frustrating at first, but the halo have gone away. I had my surgery August 15, 2005. The drops I use are ones not recommended by my surgeon, but the only ones that cleared my eyes felt comfortable are Allergans Refresh Liquigel. for moderate to severe dry eye. I stress liquigel part !! It comes in a bottle, but I couldn't get results with any of the disposable drops recommended by my surgeon I almost gave up, but I remembered my eye doctor suggested these when I tried to wear contacts. Walmart, Sams Club, and usually any drug store carries it. I hope I helped, sorry it took so long to answer and good luck!

yes my eyes are at 20/20 and yes they have fluctated quite a bit daily. I went from blurry, to clear to kind of both. crazy and patience is a good combo to get u thru..

bridget,thanks for sharing your experiences.

Guys, I can't thank you enough for your input on this forum. It's been so frustrating for me. With glasses I was seeing 20/15. 3 days after surgery, I was seeing 20/15, but it went downhill from there. My right eye is 20/20 and the left eye is 20/20-. It's been roughly 5 weeks since surgery and my eyesite fluctuation has been dramatic and driving me crazy thinking something is wrong. It's one thing to have the doc tell you it's ok, but when you see numerous testimonies, it really helps.

I have been going out of my mind with dry eyes and the glare that goes along with it. I'm three weeks post op(Lasik) and very depressed. I can't read, watch TV, and even while I'm at work I need to turn off all lights and wear sunglasses to see my PC. Tell me there is the proverbial light at the end to the tunnel. This is going on for a week now and even though I can be pretty patient with pain, I feel as if I will need to live the rest of my life in the dark. I went off my zyrtec so I'm not on any medication that will affect the drying symptons. I use drops several times a day and a sleeping mask to make sure my eyes are shut securely. Nothing has helped so far. I go to my doctor next week for my one month check-up, what guestions should I be asking him? Thanks so much

April

Hi April,

i am four months post lasik, the first couple of months my eyes were very very sensitive i had everything from dry eys to glare starburst you have to be patient you might have the same problem as me where your eys heal very slowly. the first month i wore light sunglasses to work and used perservative free eye drops i like refresh celluvisc now i am done to one drop a day but the first few months were more like 10 a days.

i hope your eyes get better.

Regina.

>I have been going out of my
>mind with dry eyes and the

>glare that goes along with it.
>I'm three weeks post op(Lasik) and
>very depressed. I can't read, watch
>TV, and even while I'm at
>work I need to turn off
>all lights and wear sunglasses to
>see my PC. Tell me there
>is the proverbial light at the
>end to the tunnel. This is
>going on for a week now
>and even though I can be
>pretty patient with pain, I feel
>as if I will need to
>live the rest of my life
>in the dark. I went off
>my zyrtec so I'm not on
>any medication that will affect the
>drying symptons. I use drops several
>times a day and a sleeping
>mask to make sure my eyes
>are shut securely. Nothing has helped
>so far. I go to my
>doctor next week for my one
>month check-up, what guestions should I
>be asking him? Thanks so much
>

>April

Hi, I thank you all for your comments and suggestions to all of us who are frustrated with this fluctuation of vision. I have a question that for very dry eyes my Dr. recommended to put Artifical drops 4 times a day is that possible that I can put them more during the day. I am still afraid that if I over dose it may create another problem with my eyes. Is there any complication in using them excessively.