Amelia PA Blog

Having had Lasik done circa 2008 by Dr.Donnenfeld who is interviewed for this piece – https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/well/lasik-complications-vision.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront

I have this to say:

Lasik surgery should not be taken lightly.  I had pre-existing dry eye and still I was “a good candidate” as per the surgeon and his staff. Once the surgery was over and I experienced severe dry eye, I returned to their office almost every month but never got to see the surgeon. I was always seen by an associate who would just focus on the corneal flap being intact.

Since then, allergy season would hit me twice a year with a corneal abrasion or two per season which I have come to be able to treat quickly with the guidance of Dry Eye Specialist Dr. Latkany.  He wrote the “Dry Eye Remedy” https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1578262429/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1578262429&linkCode=as2&tag=artiwithlis0a-20&linkId=C3KCJHYTXLTMUGPW and has offered me punctal plugs to prevent my eyes from getting worse.

All in all, Lasik surgery is a huge industry and if radio commercials are still offering discounts etc, it is here to stay. I just hope that a piece like this in the Times will alert pre-surgical candidates to do their due diligence.  Perhaps asking for the Schirmer’s test to be performed is  something one can do. Also ask yourself if you can function without being able to drive at night, suffer from eye pain if awake for more than 12 hours?

Take home message – do you really need to do something risky or are glasses or contacts a reasonable option for the future.  Lastly, over the age of 40 most of us need glasses due to presbyopia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia regardless of if you have had Lasik. Figure out the return on investment that you would have and also decide based on that.