My trial: PRK eye surgery

I guess in my vain ambition to go through life without the need of corrective lenses I thought, hey why not get LASIK. I know lots of people that have had successful LASIK eye surgeries without complications...

First, many years ago Chad and Amy underwent LASIK. No problem, and this was before some new advances in the procedure that exist today (WaveFront LASIK(.

Maureen had it. No problem. Then I had a bunch of people that I know from here in WA that have had it. Each time, no problem. So I say... I can do this too.

Oct. 2005 begins my laser eye surgery experience. I go to Restore Vision Centers, because that is where most of our friends have had the procedure done and were happy with the doctors and staff. I am told that my corneas are a bit too thin for LASIK so they tell me that PRK is the only option for me. I am told by receptionist and others there that it is a much safer procedure because there would be no chance for flap complications later on in life. You see in LASIK the dr uses a tiny blade to cut a small flap to expose the underlying of your cornea. PRK was a pre-cursor to LASIK with it first being performed in Germany in 1988. The main difference that the laser eye surgery literature tell you is: PRK takes 5-6 days to regain vision while LASIK you can often see very well the next day. I am thinking... 5-6 days I can do that.

But boy was I wrong...

I had my first eye surgery in Feb 2006. I was optimistic and hopeful that I finally would rid myself of glasses. The first few days were awful, followed by the next few weeks were my vision would fluctuate, but never get that crystal clear that you would expect. I could definitely see better that I could before without glasses, but I still wouldn't want to go the rest of life seeing like I was. It seemed that I was the 1% guy whenever I went for my post op appointments.

1. Not many people have too thin of corneas
2. A drug you use to help the healing process after PRK is a steroid drop to reduce hazing. Some people respond negatively and their ocular pressure rises to dangerous levels that could cause glaucoma. You guessed it... I am a steroid responder. So my first surgery I had to go off the steroid completely. (I was told later that this was most likely the reason I didn't get great vision afterward).

So, after all this mess you'd think I would have learned my lesson.. But no... I really wanted that good vision and again was told I was a good candidate for a PRK enhancement. (Another term for the exact same surgery just done again).

So, on Dec 7th 2006 I underwent the same procedure. After a few days I was getting really down and nervous that my vision would never come back. I couldn't even see my computer screen well enough to work. I was put on a different steroid drop (one that is not supposed to raise ocular pressure). After a week they increased my dosage from 4X a day to every 2 hours.

On or around Dec 20th, a miracle occurred and I could see crystal clear. It was our Christmas miracle. I couldn't believe it! I could see! I could see close... I could see far... it was great. My steroid dosage was dropped back to 4 x a day for another week then 3x a day for 3 weeks, 2x a day for two weeks, a 1x for a week.

I went like this for the better part of 2 + weeks, but I could tell that my right eye was going south a bit. It seems to be much hazier. We got back from Sadie's blessing and that night I put on the glasses I wore before (Tara's glasses that didn't fit me at all) I could tell an immediate improvement... I was discouraged... my crystal clear vision was going... going... gone...

I went back for my 1 month appt and that is when they noticed some pretty severe hazing in my right eye... so I was put back on the steroid drop every 2 hours. I did this for a week and went back... not much improvement... and yes you could guess it... my ocular pressure again was elevated.

So now what? Well, I am now on a regimen of yet a different (more clear steroid, than the milky one that was causing me problems) and also a glaucoma medication to reduce the ocular pressure. I go back on Thursday... but I have nearly lost hope that anything will come of it.

I have resorted now to using a friend's pair of glasses because I could tell that Tara's glasses now were not strong enough. Yes my vision is now worse that it was before I had the second surgery...

I have had struggles with clouded vision, ghosting images (seeing sometime 2-3 of the same image just off center a bit - mostly in stoplights etc...) and halos and sunbursts around headlights of cars.

But with the glasses all these seem to be reduced to where it doesn't bother me too much and I don't think about it all that often.

So I am again in glasses, and I will never... repeat never again have laser eye surgery of any kind.

Sorry for the rant and the woe is me attitude. I really am fine and grateful that with the glasses I can see relatively well.