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Cranky LASIK Survivors
It's funny, I did not start out intending to flood the blogosphere with so many accounts of this very common procedure. There is just so much news about LASIK developments combined with rabid consumer interest in refractive surgery.
Well, here goes #26!
What happens to that small minority of refractive surgery patients who undergo "successful, uncomplicated LASIK" but end up miserable with blurry, uncomfortable eyes?
Where do they go? Most of the time they go somewhere else!
Some experienced refractive surgeons have expanded their practices to include consultation and management of 'challenging LASIK outcomes' (read TRAINWRECKS). From a medical liability standpoint it's a pretty bulletproof niche practice since all of the bad stuff has occurred long before the unhappy patient arrives.
A new report in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery offers a rare glimpse into one of these referral clinics. Patient data over a three-year period tracks the findings and results of 157 unsatisfactory outcomes. Half of the patients were referred by an ophthalmologist who did not perform the LASIK operation; another one-in-four patients were self-referrals.
These were the patient complaints in descending order: poor vision (63%), dry eyes, redness/eye pain, and glare. Many patients had already received one or more enhancements (repeat LASIKs).
These were the experts' diagnoses in decreasing frequency: clinical dry eyes (28%), irregular astigmatism, and abnormal cell growth underneath the LASIK corneal flap.
Was anybody able to help these poor souls? 27% of the patients needed even more surgery to fix their problems. However, the remainder were successfully managed with medical treatment. Interestingly, 7% were simply told to be patient and wait for things to heal on their own.
Can we profit from others' misery? Yes, we can!
Many of the complications noted in this study trace back to preoperative conditions that were overlooked when decisions were made by the surgeon and the patient.
This detailed analysis of LASIK disasters reminds us that there is no such thing as minor eye surgery. Furthermore, not every patient is a good candidate for LASIK. It is clear that too many folks with borderline dry eyes consent to undergo surgery and quickly develop full-blown dry eyes. The same is true for folks with pre-existing eyelid inflammation and pre-existing corneal abnormalities.
#26 wraps up this way: Don't be afraid to pursue laser refractive surgery. Equally important, don't abdicate your personal responsibility to make sure that you are the best possible candidate for whatever procedure is recommended. You can prevent yourself from becoming a cranky LASIK survivor!
REFERENCE: Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery. January 2008; 34: 32-39.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: LASIK, refractive surgery, eye surgery, vision
