I am 46 and had Lasik one week ago. My old prescription was -4.5 with slight astigmatism and a reading adder of +125 for both eyes. I had progressive lenses and only used the reading portion in dim light or with fine print. With really fine print I could see clearly by taking off my glasses and holding the object very close to my eyes. I knew I would need reading glasses post-op and that my ability to see very fine print up-close with my glasses off would be gone. Also, with time I would need stronger reading glasses. This seemed like a very acceptable post-op situation to me.

One week post op, distance is good at 20/25 with slight haze and haloes but both the doctor and I expect it to improve further, probably to 20/20 and the haze and haloes should also diminish. This is the good news.

The bad news is everything within 15 feet is still blurry. There has been no real improvement since surgery and I am getting concerned. On surgery day my doctor again said I would need readers and to pick up a +125 pair.

Well, post-op, the +125 readers are no good unless I am content to read the newspaper by laying it on the floor and then stand above it while trying to read. Anything closer that 5 feet with these +125 readers is too close to read. I picked up some +200 readers, they are better but are comparable to pre-op reading vision through the distance portion of my old glasses. And my mid range vision is just gone, all blurry.

What went wrong, I never agreed to give up the ability to focus on objects between 3 feet and 15 feet out with or without glasses. That was a fairly important portion of my vision. I was expecting to lose only the very close focusing ability not the first 15 feet. What are my options?

You are probably just a little over-corrected - and hopefully this will reverse over the next few weeks. On your next visit, request that the doctor perform a refraction to see exactly where you are. If you have been told to wait a month till your next visit, you should consider calling and getting seen earlier - since if you are over-corrected, your doctor may try something to see if he can help with your healing.

Best of luck

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I went to see my doctor today, as you suggested Dr Trattler and yes, at 8 days post-op I was over corrected, at +1 and +0.75 to be exact. It was explained that the over correction was not by design but (probably or definately?) due to the still present inflamation that has not yet (fully?) subsided. She said as the inflamation diminishes the eye's shape will change and the +1 & +0.75 should move closer to 0. It just needs more time, 8 days post-op is just not enough, 2 more weeks should give a better indication. However, I did ask about something in the interim to help with the healing to possibly help reverse the over-correction as I think you suggested but was told they recommend no action at this time.

I was rather concerned, actually quite worked-up, about my situation when I wrote my first BB post but now I feel much better after hearing from you and then getting the same story from my doctor. Thanks very much to both of you!!

>You are probably just a little over-corrected
>- and hopefully this will reverse
>over the next few weeks. On
>your next visit, request that the
>doctor perform a refraction to see
>exactly where you are. If
>you have been told to wait
>a month till your next visit,
>you should consider calling and getting
>seen earlier - since if you
>are over-corrected, your doctor may try
>something to see if he can
>help with your healing.

>Best of luck

>Bill Trattler, MDMiami, FL

It was our pleasure to help. This is one of the reasons why participating on this site is so rewarding.

Best of luck

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I am interested on how well your blurry mid-range vision has improved since this letter was posted. I had lasik 2 months ago and I am still waiting for this to get better. The doctor said it could take 3 months, but it is not improving. How many people who have this problem after 2 months still have it after 3 or 6 months?? Thanks

>I am 46 and had Lasik one
>week ago. My old prescription
>was -4.5 with slight astigmatism and
>a reading adder of +125 for
>both eyes. I had progressive
>lenses and only used the reading
>portion in dim light or with
>fine print. With really fine
>print I could see clearly by
>taking off my glasses and holding
>the object very close to my
>eyes. I knew I would
>need reading glasses post-op and that
>my ability to see very fine
>print up-close with my glasses off
>would be gone. Also, with
>time I would need stronger reading
>glasses. This seemed like a
>very acceptable post-op situation to me.
>

>One week post op, distance is good
>at 20/25 with slight haze and
>haloes but both the doctor and
>I expect it to improve further,
>probably to 20/20 and the haze
>and haloes should also diminish.
>This is the good news.

>The bad news is everything within 15
>feet is still blurry. There
>has been no real improvement since
>surgery and I am getting concerned.
> On surgery day my doctor
>again said I would need readers
>and to pick up a +125
>pair.

>Well, post-op, the +125 readers are no
>good unless I am content to
>read the newspaper by laying it
>on the floor and then stand
>above it while trying to read.
> Anything closer that 5 feet
>with these +125 readers is too
>close to read. I picked
>up some +200 readers, they are
>better but are comparable to pre-op
>reading vision through the distance portion
>of my old glasses. And
>my mid range vision is just
>gone, all blurry.

>What went wrong, I never agreed to
>give up the ability to focus
>on objects between 3 feet and
>15 feet out with or without
>glasses. That was a fairly
>important portion of my vision.
>I was expecting to lose only
>the very close focusing ability not
>the first 15 feet. What
>are my options?

The same thing has happened to me. It is starting to get a little better, been almost 3 weeks since surgery. Really surprised me and was not sure what was going on when I could see nothing mid range. Dr confirmed that I'm not a little farsighted. From what I'm read this my be a good thing for me was -575 left and -7 right. My right eye is the one that still is giving me a little problems but it is starting to come around. My doctor said it may take as long a two month from it to stabilize. Finally starting to notice a change, for the good, a couple of days ago. Have an appointment Wed. will so how much they have changed then.

I had lasik in Oct. 2004, and lost all midrange and closeup vision. Pre-op I was .6 to .7 diopters (?). I used +1.5, +1.75, and +3.25 readers to survive. During my mandatory three month healing process I was consistently told to wait, that one day I would notice a change, but for me the change never happened. The doctor tells me that of his 6% of overcorrected patients, I was the most overcorrected patient he had seen in 9 years of his 11 years performing lasik.

I had the enhancement surgery nine days ago and I tell you that I am ecstatic to have my closeup and midrange vision restored! Immediately following the surgery, with the protective contact in place, I had great distance, midrange and closeup vision, but once the contact lense was removed, I noticed that distance was not as good, and I have ghosting on both eyes midrange and distance vision. The doctor thinks it will correct properly with time. Same thing I was told on initial surgery, so I am slightly pessimistic on this point. I am 75% satisfied with my vision today, perhaps it will improve with further healing this time.

i JUST HAD LASIK SURGERY I WEEK AGO AND I TOO CAN NOT SEE MID RANGE OR CLOSE UP WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE TO SEE IF I CAN HAVE HOPE

This is a long read, but it's a good news story and I hope it helps you.

I am 52 years old and was nearsighted with astigmatisim. My spectale prescription was:

R: -2.25 -2.00 180
L: -2.50 -2.50 001

Im most cases I was able to read close up with my glasses and sometimes I would take them off to read really small print.

I had Custom Vue LASIK 6 weeks ago today (22 FEB 05) and my distant vision results were spectacular almost immediately and on the check ups for the following day and for one week; I was able to see 20/16 using both eyes or 20/16 right eye and 20/20 left eye; I was shocked that I too had lost good vision from about 12 feet and closer. I had to replace the incandescent light bulbs in my house with halogen bulbs which helped quite a bit at night and I bought +1.25 reaing glasses from the drug store which I needed to use for most functions day and night if I wanted to see anything close up. If you would have asked me what I though of LASIK, I probably would have said that I had made a huge mistake!! During my one week follow up, my refreaction was measured at +0.75 in each eye with a slight asigmatisim in each eye. The doctor said not to worry that there is a tendency to overcorrect so as to counteract the eyes' tendency to regress as they heal. All I could think of was that I can't see anything mid or near very well!! At my one month check up I was still seeing 20/16 overall with 20/20 & 20/16 when my eyes were measured individually. My refraction measured +.50 in each eye with a slight astigmatism in my left eye and none in my right. Also, my mid range vision was much improved although my close vision was not good without the readers. The doctor said I was healing perfectly and that over the next two months I should notice some fantastic changes. And that when I came back for my 3 month check up in April I should be seeing really well close up too. I'm pleaseed to report that everyday my vision seems to improve. I have almost zero night time "halos" or "star bursts" around lights. Also, in the past 5 days my middle and close vision has miraculously improved to about the point it was was with my glasses. As a mattter of fact, I'm typing this response and I'm not wearing reading glasses to see the letters on the keyboard or to read my monitor!! This is something that would have been impossible to do after the surgery and as short a time ago as last week. I hope that you all will have the same experience I have had. I think you just have to be patient, although it's not easy. Believe me I know!!

>i JUST HAD LASIK SURGERY I WEEK
>AGO AND I TOO CAN NOT
>SEE MID RANGE OR CLOSE UP
>WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE TO
>SEE IF I CAN HAVE HOPE
>

Hi! I had my 3 month follow up on Apr 4th and the Dr. says my eyes are pretty stable. I'm still slightly far sighted with a mainfest refraction of:

r: +0.50 sp
l: +0.50 x 0.5 x -003

My vision out doors is fantactic!! I can't believe how well I can see. My indoor and night vision is not as good, but considering that I'm 52 years old and have presbyopia, I'm not complaining in the least. I'm not experiencing any dry eye or foreign body in the eye symptoms. I still put some liquid tear drops in my eyes each night before going to bed, but if I forget it doesn't seem to matter. My surgery was performed by Commander (Dr.) David Tanzer, U. S. Navy Medical Corps. on 04 JAN 05, and all in all I'm a highly satisfied patient.

presbyopia is the inability to accomodate and overcorrection makes things worse. Some get monovision, others ask to be slighly undercorrected. This way the chance of being overcorrected is much smaller and if your eye heals slow or incorrectly, youll probably end up plano instead of -1 to -1.5. Being plano will allow objects 24" and further to be crisp and objects 12" a little blurry, more so with presbyopia. I see better at less than 12" without glasses than with glasses, this shouldnt come as any supprise

I had LASIK thirteen days ago, and like the other posters here I've lost my intermediate and near vision. One day after surgery, I could read license plates 100 feet away, but I couldn't discern the denominations of the currency in my wallet. Now, nearly two weeks after surgery, my near and medium-range vision has improved somewhat, but I still need reading glasses to use the computer. If my vision remains as it is, I would say that LASIK was a huge mistake. But I believe (hope) my vision will continue to improve. I'll keep you posted...

Thats presbyopia for you. You also may have gotten slightly overcorrected. Anyway I have decided lasik isnt for me after reading your posts and about presbyopia. I tried multifocal contacts and even those dont help much with near vision :( Since im only 23 my presbyopia isnt bad yet so even with those multifocals I can read newspaper size print but not fine print. The computer monitor is fine though. For older people, like 35-40+ it may be much worse and if theres a sligh overcorrection its a disaster :(

I had LASIK thirteen days ago, and
>like the other posters here I've
>lost my intermediate and near vision.
> One day after surgery, I
>could read license plates 100 feet
>away, but I couldn't discern the
>denominations of the currency in my
>wallet. Now, nearly two weeks
>after surgery, my near and medium-range
>vision has improved somewhat, but I
>still need reading glasses to use
>the computer. If my vision
>remains as it is, I would
>say that LASIK was a huge
>mistake. But I believe (hope)
>my vision will continue to improve.
> I'll keep you posted...

It's been three weeks since my LASIK procedure. My intermediate vision has steadily improved over the last week, and I can now focus as close as three feet. I can use the computer without reading glasses, though it can be difficult to see the keyboard in low-light conditions. I've heard that near and intermediate vision can continue to improve for the first three months or so. I hope that is indeed true!

I'm now on my fifth month since I had my Custom LASIK procedure on both eyes. I am still slightly farsighted, but it seems my near vision is still improving. I use reading glasses sometimes +1.00 or +1.25, but at other times I do not need them. Keep a positive attitude because it takes time. I'm going for my 6 month check up on 06JUL. I'll let you know what the Doc says.

>It's been three weeks since my LASIK
>procedure. My intermediate vision has
>steadily improved over the last week,
>and I can now focus as
>close as three feet. I
>can use the computer without reading
>glasses, though it can be difficult
>to see the keyboard in low-light
>conditions. I've heard that near
>and intermediate vision can continue to
>improve for the first three months
>or so. I hope that
>is indeed true!

I just had my 6 month follow up and my vision in each eye is 20/16. My manifest refraction is:

Rt: PLA -0.50 x 173
Lt: +0.25 - Sph

So in the past 6 months I've gone from being myopic with a high degree of astigmatisim and being completely dependent on eyeglasses for seeing far and near, to being slightly overcorrected and slightly astigmatic immediately following my Custom Vue LASIK
procedure in January 2005 to today where the Doctor said I was about as close to "Optical Zero" as is possible. The Doctor said I still may experience a few more gradual changes, but I'll tell you, from where I started out to where I am today it's just tremendous. I'm so happy that I can see w/o glasses!!

>I'm now on my fifth month since
>I had my Custom LASIK procedure
>on both eyes. I am
>still slightly farsighted, but it seems
>my near vision is still improving.
> I use reading glasses sometimes
>+1.00 or +1.25, but at other
>times I do not need them.
> Keep a positive attitude because
>it takes time. I'm going
>for my 6 month check up
>on 06JUL. I'll let you
>know what the Doc says.

>

>>It's been three weeks since my LASIK
>>procedure. My intermediate vision has
>>steadily improved over the last week,
>>and I can now focus as
>>close as three feet. I
>>can use the computer without reading
>>glasses, though it can be difficult
>>to see the keyboard in low-light
>>conditions. I've heard that near
>>and intermediate vision can continue to
>>improve for the first three months
>>or so. I hope that
>>is indeed true!

Thanks for the encouragement, Jose. My eyes seem to be improving slowly, but I'd still have to say I'm not pleased with the surgery. It's been eleven weeks, and vision within about five feet is still quite blurry, while long distance vision is only about 20/30 on most days. I'll see my doctor again on 1 August. I hope he has some words of encouragement for me...

I saw my doctor today for my 3 month checkup. He said my left eye was "dead on," which is not the case at all. My right eye, he admitted, was over-corrected to about 20/30. I believe my left eye is only slightly better than my right, but definitely not 20/20. In any event, he's scheduled another visit for 7 September to determine whether my vision has stabilized. If it has and if it is still over-corrected, he'll schedule me for an enhancement surgery.

CK is a new procedure for hyperopes and also giving monovision to presbyopes. Mention this to your doctor

I visited my doctor this morning for a 4 month post-op. Unlike previous exams, he told me that guessing on the eye chart was not allowed. As a result, I measured at 20/25 (L) and 20/30 (R). Because I am overcorrected, I still have very poor vision within 8 feet or so (this is not your run-of-the-mill presbyopia). The doctor said my corneas have healed well, but I have some fibrous growth (scar tissue) on both eyes, and that this may be responsible for, or at least contributing to, my poor vision. He gave me some FML (fluorometholone) drops with instructions to use them four times per day for three weeks, then two times per day for three weeks. I’ll see the doctor again on 25 October to determine whether the drops have eliminated the fibrous tissue. If my vision has not improved and is stable, he’ll schedule enhancement surgery. He’ll operate on only one eye, allowing time for it to heal and to gauge the effect of the enhancement before operating on the other eye. Bottom line: at four months post-op, I am still not pleased with the results, but I remain optimistic that I’ll get to where I want to be…

Well this is interesting. I've been using the FML drops four times a day for three weeks, now. I'm starting to see a dramatic improvement in my near vision. It's not good, yet, but it's better than it was. Starting tomorrow, I'm supposed to use the drops twice a day for three weeks. I don't know if it's the drops or just time, but I like the direction my vision is going...

Hi David,
Hope things continue to improve for you. Please keep us posted.

Well this is interesting. I've been
>using the FML drops four times
>a day for three weeks, now.
> I'm starting to see a
>dramatic improvement in my near vision.
> It's not good, yet, but
>it's better than it was.
>Starting tomorrow, I'm supposed to use
>the drops twice a day for
>three weeks. I don't know
>if it's the drops or just
>time, but I like the direction
>my vision is going...

Well, I visited my doctor yesterday to see how the FML steroid drops worked. As I mentioned in my last post, I saw a significant improvement after about three weeks of use. Unfortunately, it was a step function and I didn't see any further improvement. While the doctor said he saw about 50% reduction in the fibrous growth, I still measured 20/30 in both eyes. He numbed my eyes and checked my eye pressure, measuring me at 18 (I don't know what the units are). He said anything under 22 is good. The reason he checked my pressure is that steroid drops can sometimes increase eye pressure after prolonged use. After verifying my pressure was acceptable, he recommended we repeat the FML drops for another six week stint. The drops are a weak steroid, he said, so the risk is minimal. I'm OK with that because I'd like to avoid enhancement surgery if at all possible. My next appointment is scheduled for 20 December...