I originally read Barbara's post about losing near and mid vision. My story:
Before surgery: age 48 left:-.50 right: -1.25. I asked for consultation: was told that my right eye could be corrected to match my left eye at -.50. I was shown what this would look like with lens in a pair of glasses. I could still read, and my mid vision was perfect. I know at my age I SHOULD wear reading glasses, but I only had trouble with small print, and could read the newspaper, phone book, computer, etc. with no problem. I was told that I MIGHT need reading glasses.

The day after surgery: I woke up, no near or mid vision in my Lasik eye. WHAT A SHOCK!! No, I was never told this could happen. Was only given a consent form to sign. I beleived the doctors-was I stupid! I trusted them. Now I sometimes feel like I was dealing with salesmen instead of trusted doctors. I trusted them with my life-my sight!

Eight weeks since Lasik. Dilated exam: +.25. Doc keeps saying that it can regress, that it only has to regress .25. But I think it has to regress to -.50, so I can read again.

Got second opinion-was told that I gave up my near and mid vision when I got Lasik to correct distance.

I know that at my age I'll need reading glasses SOME day; but that's a gradual process. What a shock waking up the next day nad not have any near or mid vision!! It's like going to bed being a teenager, and waking up the next morning at 50!
Being told you MIGHT need reading glasses and being "blind" when trying to read is a big difference!!!

I went from never wearing glasses in my life to HAVING to put glasses on just to read the paper. Lasik is the biggest mistake of my life. The Lasik booklet given me said return to work in a day or two. Nothing about not being able to see when you return to work! What a good salesmen!!

The surgeon and doctor I see gave me progressive reading glasses to wear until my eye "heals". They seem very concerned and caring. I'm just scared. I beleived them before the surgery. I have been seeing them on almost a weekly basis. I don't know what to do at this point. I don't know if I'd EVER let another doctor get near my eye with a laser.

Besides valium, any suggestions?

PS I did research Lasik, the surgeon is well respected; performs about thirty surgeries a month; used a FDA approved laser; he told me he never had any major problems with any prior patients;(now tells me I'm his first problem-lucky me); called patients who had Lasik performed by him. I found out about the BB AFTER surgery. Seems like everyone who is happy with lasik had high prescriptions- I didn't find anyone with a small prescription like mine.

Any help would be appreciated. Yes, my family doctor put me (who has never even taken a sleeping pill) on valium. Is it possible or probable that my eye will regress enough so I can have at least mid vision back?

signed: Still Regretting Lasik.

Hi again, I think I answered you once previously.
Here's what you need...and it is absolutely not valium, even if you were joking.
You need to look forward, not backward. Like Barbara, consider the really tragic things that could have happened - serious complications although rare do happen to some people. Remember, you can still see.
Not that other patients can't benefit from hearing about your experience, you are not doing yourself any good by bludgeoning yourself continually rehashing your tragedy. What happened has happened.
Start getting used to your reading glasses and start breathing. Holding your breath waiting for something to happen will only make each day pass slower. There are too many good things in life to enjoy without letting this completely ruin your life.
Remember, you can still see. And frankly, you can see better at distance than you did previously.

I hope I haven't overpreached but you asked for suggestions. Also, I'm not sure why you are still seeing your doc weekly at this point. You are again only revisiting your "personal tragedy." You'll know if you have regressed.

I'll mention too, that I have had many people with mild prescription like yours who are ecstatic, so not just people with high prescriptions.

This will be my final advice to you, and I hope you will be able to deal with your situation constructively.

Good Luck, Dean Hu

I only posted again as Dr. Trattler said to post as new thread and he would answer.

Thank you for your help. It is appreciated.

All I can say is I am baffled. There was obviously some miscommunication with your doctor. Your doctor i would think would have explained that once you are over the age of 40 you begin to lose the ability to focus one's eyes. Switching you from -1.25 to -0.50 (a change of less than a diopter) would certainly result in the loss of reading vision. In fact, your presciption with one eye having excelent distance vision and the other having midrange vision (a type of monovision) is often my goal with LASIK. That is for patients in their 40's or older - I shoot to have one eye remain 20/20 for distance and the other eye to be slightly myopic so that the eye is set for reading.
My only thoughts is that there are some people who actually do not care about their near vision - they want excellent distance vision so that they can be active with sports, etc. For some reason, the excitement about potentially improving your one eye must have resulted in poor communciation, so that you did not comprehend the fact that your near vision would suffer. Since I wasn't with you for your discussion with your surgeon, I can not verify what was actually said and explained prior to surgery.
I do agree with Dr. Hu. You do have a choice - you can have an enhancemnt to restore your near vision. Your doctor can lift your flap and shoot to restore your refraction.

I wish you the very best of luck

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

Dr. Trattler:

Is there an E-mail address where I can write to you to tell you the REST of my Lasik complications, and maybe you can advise me what type of eye specialist to see. I don't feel comfortable writing it on the BB. At this point, I just don't know what to do. My family doctor is aware of all the complications, but he said he's just not familiar with Lasik.

Many of the doctors on the forum have their contact information available in the doctor directory. My email is listed. Please feel free to contact me via my email, although most of the other surgeons will prefer to answer questions on this web site.

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

Could you please tell me where to find your e-mail. I used the link to your name on your response and it was returned.

Hi Maried, This is an excellent article that I wish I had read before my lasik last March 1999. I also have been talking with Barbara from Sedona and posted a message to her today, Nov 7th. Please refer to it. Basically, I have decided to return to wearing progressive bifocals because I lost my midrange and near vision following Lasik. I'll be picking up my new glasses in a couple of weeks and will be praying that my new eyes will do as well with the new perscription as I had before. Jessica

I had my right eye lasiked & yes, I lost my near & mid vision. But my left eye makes up for it with reading & seeing the computer screen. Your brain is supposed to train the eyes on which one sees at a distance & which one sees close up. It's working so well for me--7 wks after surgery & I don't need glasses. The monovision can work!