I am now 10 months post lasik and my 4th opinion surgeon is telling me that the origional flaps have completely healed. He is talking about cutting new flaps to retreat my eyes. My question is is it normal for the flaps to completely heal this quick and what are the consequences of new flaps?. ( both eyes apparently show epitheral cells )

First - I would like to know what you mean by epithelial cells - where are they? Why do you need a retreatment - are you now near-sighted or far-sighted? What is your best vision when refracted (if you want - write your refractions with visual acuities)
As far as flaps - they may look healed, but experts report that most flaps can be lifted without problems up to many years after the initial surgery. There is no way to know whether the flaps are too healed unless an actual attempt is made to lift the flaps.
Cutting a new flap is not horrible, but does have distinct risks - including all of the risks of the intial flap creation, plus the risk that the new cut will transect the original flap, and cause a small piece of flap from the interior to be dislodged. This can lead to irregular results.

I hope this is helpful. Please let me know more so I can make some more comments

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

Thanks for responding to my question. I have had so many people look at my eyes and give different opinions that the results are totally confusing.
From my own perspective this is what I see..
Right eye: I know is at plano because I have a clear image of everything when I squint. Normal vision has a complete separate image to the right at all distances so I accept that I have astigmatism only.!
Left eye: Blurred at all distance, with "the rain on the window affect" when I blink or move my head quickly.Together both eyes produce a very distored vision and I cannot look straight ahead as everything has too many images and I can only move my head slowly to stop the feeling of nausea or vertigo.
Clinics view: Pre Lasik. R +3.50. -0.25 @ 89
L +3.75 -0.50 @ 120
As @ July 1st ( after several changes through 10 months) R 0.00 -2.00 @ 132
L-0.75 -1.00 @ 160
So theoretically my sight should be reasonable?
Dr says I have thickening of the flap (right) and he can see a ridge (bump?) and see cells?. He was concerned that origional Dr did not relift the flap. I am waiting to be treated with the new Wavefront machine which will be here in England late summer. ( I have been researching this so that is not my worry, but your opinion would be useful). However he says he wants to cut new flaps as the origional ones have both healed.
(I wonder if he means that they are too damaged to lift but will not tell me this?)I don`t know how he came to that conclusion but I questioned it and he said it would be easier to cut new flaps.He is hoping that the new machine will be able to reduce/eliminate the astigmatism only. Glasses help with the left eye except for the water effect but my optition has not been able to find a prescription that makes the right eye clear.(despite 7 different lenses.) We assume that this is irregular astigmatism? I am lucky to have thick corneas so this is not a worry. But I am dubious about going ahead with anything that may swap one problem for another. Your opinion would be valuable. Thanks Ann.