I'm looking for opinions from those on the forum, either who have been there, or who are medically qualified.

I am 3 months post lasik, no complications noted, no discomfort, -5.5 prescription corrected to 20/25 or 20/30. The 3 month follow up visit some striae was noted. A consultation with the surgeon revealed he is willing to perform a lift of the flap in both eyes (one at a time) over the next 2 to 4 weeks in an attempt to remove them. It is suspected that the striae may be preventing me from attaining 20/20.

Opinions? Should I do it? Medically, is it sound? I am seeing well and realize I've gotten off very lucky with respect to the possible complications which can arise... should I risk the procedure? Are there any statistics with respect to vision improvement from a flap lift and removal of striae. Is the 3 month post-op a problem? I am in Toronto, and the follow up procedure is included in the original fee, so I'm sure it isn't about just wanting to earn a little extra.

Am I gambling what I've got if I do this or is it generally not a big deal?

I'd appreciate all opinions from those who do this, as well as any who have had it done.

Thanks.

Striae are basically wrinkles in the flap - and this is a sign that the flap is not smooth. Striae can result in blurry vision that can not be corrected with glasses (although the vision can generally be treated with hard contact lenses).
The key issue is the quality of vision. If you are happy with your current level of vision, then the procedure may not be worth the risk - as risks with suregry include infection, inflammation, recurrence of the striae, worse striae, etc. As well, the procedures to remove the striae can be pretty dramatic - and it can take a few weeks for the eye to recover.
Your best bet may be to get a second opinion, as some patients can have mild striae that do not significantly affect the vision.

I hope this helps

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL

I had straie and they are hard to remove after 3 months. I had the flaps lifted twice with sutures for several months before they got better. My experience is that striae do not go away by themselves. They only cause problems.