I recently tried to have the Lasik surgery. I had a flap complication in which I was told the flap had a cut towards the center versus going in a circle. I don't feel I have received a very good explaination from the doctor as to how this could have happened. Can anyone there give their opinion as to what could have caused this kind of cut on the flap?
Also, in the mean time I have to wait 3 months to reconsider the surgery again. What are the chances of this happending again? Should I consider the surgery for the second time? Should I get a second opinion or stay with the same doctor?
I also have since had to purchase new glasses since I can not see that well out of the ones I currently have and can not wear my contacts. Should the doctor have compensated me any for the $550 I had to pay for glasses???
I appreciate any feedback I can receive. I want to have the surgery but I am not sure what type of things I should now be asking or concerned about. Thanks

It sounds like you have had an incomplete flap, where the doctor tried to make a flap, but the flap was not big enough for LASIK to be performed. There are so many variables, and they depend on a variety of things.
For example - it is possible that there was a suction loss at the time of surgery. This is where the microkeratome which makes the flap slips off the eye during the cut. This results in a small or incomplete flap.
There are other causes too - I just do not know the details, so it is so hard to speculate.
When this occurs, the key is for the doctor to just replace the flap and let the cornea heal. After 3 months, the flap has healed so that LASIK can be attempted again. There is more risk with this second procedure - which you should talk at length with to your surgeon.
As far as the glasses - first - in my practice we have our own optical shop, and if there are ever problems, we provide glasses at cost. I have given free glasses in special cases, plus if the prescrptions change we do not charge to change the prescription. But of course every doctor is different.
The doctor might have been willing to just replace the lenses of your current glasses - as I can not imagine how glasses could cost $550 for lenses alone.

Best of luck, and I will be more than happy to answer any further questions that you may have. I know that it is extremely dissappointing to be all set for surgery, and now you have to wait for 3 more months.

Thank you

Bill Trattler, MD
Miami, FL