Contact Lenses after LASIK

Patient testimonial

The image below is a side view of a post-LASIK cornea. The patient is wearing a scleral lens, which was specially fit by Dr. Edward Boshnick. As you can see, the lens vaults over the irregular corneal surface. This provides an optically-correct front surface for the eye. The space between the lens and the cornea is filled with saline solution, which serves to cushion the lens and protect the cornea. Click on the picture for a larger image.

Patient testimonial

Some link depression, failed lasik by Sabine Vollmer - The News & Observer 2/3/2008

From the article: In Cleveland, Tenn., Kim Hybarger, 44, a nurse, developed debilitating visual distortions after lasiksurgery Dec. 21, 2006. She tried to walk into traffic, cut her throat and starve herself. "I was filled with anger," she said. "I felt so hopeless and helpless. I just wanted to die. The way I saw was so frightening."

Her vision was blurry. The moon had six to eight overlapping copies, a distortion called ghosting. Bright lights erupted into irregular star bursts in the shape of chicken feet. Hybarger compared her vision to looking through glass that is cracked and smeared with grease. She stopped driving, exercising, working and going to the grocery store. She couldn't read a book or
watch television.

Hybarger said she had never had problems with depression before her lasik surgery. Afterward she felt so bad, she said, she told her husband to "load a gun with a bullet and give it to me. I'm not going to live the rest of my life like this."

Hybarger's mental state didn't improve until Ed Boshnick, a Miami optometrist, offered to fit her with special contact lenses. Sales of the special lenses have increased with the rising number of Americans who had lasik since 2000. The lenses can restore the cornea's shape and correct visual distortions... Hybarger left Miami remembering the moment she first looked through them. "It was indescribable," Hybarger said. "It was like the first time I smiled in a year."

Link to article

Corneal Transplant

A bad LASIK outcome may result in need for corneal transplant; however, vision may still be poor after transplant surgery requiring use of hard (rigid) contact lenses. The photo below shows a scleral contact lens over a corneal transplant. You can clearly see the ring around the edge of the donor tissue where the scar formed, bonding the transplant to the cornea.

Patient with post-LASIK vision loss: Contact lens success story

I'm excited to share that with my scleral lenses I have nearly 20/20 vision in both eyes! God is good and so is Dr. Boshnick!!! Remember, WITH glasses, I was 20/40 in the left and 20/150 in the right and that was the best that could be done for me.

Today I was fitted for the second set of lenses that Dr. Boshnick ordered and he is sending me home with both sets. There is a small difference between the two, but not enough that I cannot have both pairs in the event of an unfortunate incident (i.e. down the drain, etc.).

The best way I can describe the difference in my vision is to tell you about the fish and turtles. Our hotel room is on the 5th floor and overlooks the blue lagoon. Ever since we arrived, [redacted] has been telling me (and had once asked me to look out and see) the school of 3' long carp and the 4 turtles that hoover near the shore waiting for hotel guests to toss out some table scraps from the dining room. The problem was (past tense), I couldn't see any fish or turtles--just dark water.

So, on our third day here we went to the dining room for breakfast (1st floor) and walked out onto the patio. There they were--fish and turtles hoovering at the shore.

Well, TODAY was different. This morning I put in my scleral contact lenses and looked out our 5th floor window and guess what? FISH! TURTLES! Not just dark water. I'm seeing those little swimmers from 5 stories up!!!

All in all, I wore the lenses about 8 hours today. And, while they are not yet completely comfortable (meaning that I don't feel them at all), they are tolerable as I build up to wearing them longer and longer. But, I'm told that total comfort will come, with time. I told Dr. Boshnick today that when I take out those lenses, it feels as good as taking off my bra after a day at work. Do you think that was too much information? LOL!

This afternoon I had another exam by Dr. Boshnick and all went well. Tomorrow, Saturday, he will come into his office just to see me and for a final exam.

So, while this may sound like an Academy Award acceptance speech, I absolutely MUST express my heartfelt appreciation and genuine gratitude to:

--Our God for blessing me with an incredible eye care team and the resources to make this trip;

--Dr. Edward Boshnick of Miami, for his expertise, patience, and incredible customer service;

--Dr. [redacted], for being so knowledgeable about the experts in his field and for the referral;

--[redacted], my boss, who has made my vision a priority even though I've only been on the job for 5 months;

--[redacted], my husband, who has supported me through more eye visits since surgery in 1998 than one can count with 20 hands and 50 feet; and

--The most dearest family and friends who have prayed for my vision and our safe travels.

I look forward to SEEING you soon--wrinkles, blemishes, whiskers, and all those other fine, fine details...

Disclaimer: This information is NOT intended to be used as medical advice. The information contained on this web site is presented for the purpose of warning people about LASIK complications prior to surgery. Persons experiencing vision problems or other eye problems should seek the advice of a physician.