Patient cancels surgery after doing his own research
June 6, 2007
Well I didn't see a section of the forum for new members so here goes my formal introduction.
My name is Jeff and I live in Fayetteville, NC. Ever since I was in 9th grade I have had a case of myopia. All the way from -.25 to where I was as of April which is -2.00. Fortunately my prescription is the same in both eyes, although the left has a slight astigmitism.
Anyway I am now 27 and have been wearing glasses and contacts for the past 12 years. From glasses, to Focus Monthlys, to Acuvue Advance to, Acuvue Oasys. Naturally like most people I would love to aleviate myself from the burden of keeping glasses clean, contacts fresh and moist, then just save a few minutes of my day in both the morning and evening.
Back a few years ago I was fortunate to be employeed by a good company that finally got my eye insurance back, And up till recently I never looked much into the Lasik industry. I had heard of it and all the success stories. (I guess when you market a product around success stories then that is what people will remember) When this past April rolled around I wanted to explore my options and see if this was something that I would want to pursue. Plus I was watching my next eye appointment approach to the end of our fisical year at work and my contacts supply dwindle down to 1 pair.
Like I do with most things including everthing I purchase even down to the most minor thing I would like to see all available options and prices. I have also been named on many occasions by my family as the "King of Research", which in the case of this story was the best thing I had going for me.
I was using a trusted optomitrist, [redacted], here in Fayetteville since 2003 and was quite impressed with his detail in exams (i.e. sketches in my chart, detailed notes etc.) He although did not do Lasik or any other surgical correction at his office so this left me to pursue another local doctor. I called around and by recommendation by a colligue I called and set up an initial Lasik appointment with [redacted] with [redacted] which would be a month away.
While waiting on the appointment I came across a [redacted] at the same vision center that I had my Lasik appointment at that would be a doctor to get me an exam good enough to get me glasses for 2 weeks before my appointment to have surgery. Plus then they would have an exam of mine on record at the same facility, if that made any difference. Duing this visit everything seemed like it was rushed. The lady that was doing the eye test was training a girl while doing mine which was an immediate turn off, but I didn't give up there, I would have the doctor do it correctly later in the exam. I mentioned to him that I was just getting this exam done so that I could have glasses until a Lasik surgery that I had already made an appointment with one his colligues for. He said he had the surgery done and was happy with it and that he could do some of the things now so that they wouldn't need to be do at my initial. Although it was strange to hear this without the surgeon present he mentioned that "I looked like a good candidate", which I kind of laughed at but when I looked at him he was dead serious. How would he know? Hmmm... Upon the end of this visit I ordered a new set of lenses for my older glasses frames. Originally I was going to get the basic of all lenses since I would no longer need them in a month, but since I had $200 set aside in additional insurance for glasses or contact I decided to expire all of that money that I could, which just so happen to be the whole $200... $200 for replacement lenses? It seemed like a joke to me but then again this was use it or loose it case with the money. A week later I picked up my reframed glasses and went on my way wearing them for the next 2 weeks.
I was reading the paper a few days after I got my glasses and saw an ad for [redacted], the doctor that I had made an appointment with, the father of the CBS tv reality show Survivor contestant Candice, he had and ad in the paper with Survivor winner Yul and another runner up. Apparently Yul came from the west coast to specifically have [redacted] perform the Lasik here in NC. In the ad it mentioned a seminar was coming up to see a procedure performed. And to hoot there was a save $150 coupon *cough*bait*cough* on the $2650 procedure if you attended a seminar. Later in the week when I went by the office I signed up to attend it.
Before attending I was eager to know everthing about this procedure so I turned to the internet and came across this site, the lasik report, and multiple others about this surgery that 99% of the public has been left in the dark about what really happens. I also discoverd that youtube had some videos of it being done, which kind of prepared me for what I was going to see. Later in the week I attended with the knowledge that I had gathered from this site and was amazed to see how acurate the information was, not his information *cough*lies*cough*, but what I read here. After the seminar I felt so selfish and very bad for the people that were signing up to have this procedure done to them that was being unknowingly sugar coated. And obviously for the woman what had it done right in front of me, and doesn't realise what just happened to the only set of eyes she will ever have.
I left the office and got in my truck and told my dad who was sitting next to me that I felt like I wanted to throw up. He suggested to me that I should stand outside his office with a sandwichboard around my neck with the url to this website that I had already told him about. Obviously I couldn't do that... but I recognized that he was just saying that to lighten the mood and make me feel better. Which really didn't work because I still to this day feel sick when I think about it.
When I got to work the next day I called the Lasik office and cancelled my appointment. When they asked me if I wanted to reschedule I said No!, they then asked why and I said that I had read The Lasik Report and couldn't believe that they were doing this to people. Need less to say the phone call ended pretty quickly. I then called my original doctor and set up another eye exam. I went to him later in the week and came to realize that my glasses that I just had reperscriptioned were over-correcting. How pissed off was I! I knew that there was something fishy going on in that office. And since I have never worn overcorrected glassed but I then remembered all the strain and headaches I had been having recently. My doctor told me that I would probably have 30 days to have the glasses fixed since that was the policy at his office. At the end of my exam I got a fresh set of contacts and I placed an order for some new Acuvue Oasys contacts then left.
Upon leaving I went to the optical shop at the other doctor and demanded that they put the correct perscription in my frames from my doctor not their "doctor in training". Fortunately they took his perscription and I had my correct glasses back in a few days for no charge. It's funny a few weeks after my appointlment date that I has cancelled had come and gone I got a "sorry we missed you" post card from the office in my mail. What a freaking joke, they obviously forgot about why I told them why I wasn't going to have it done.
So now here I am, about 3 months has passed and Lasik Free. I never plan on having this procedure or any related one done. I am perfectly happy putting my new contacts in every day and really like all the new frame styles that have come on to the market since I wore glasses 10 years ago.
And as a plus I got a check from [redacted] the other day for $114 which apparently is the remainder of the $200 they took for new lenses. So Whooo!!!
I have read and reread the posts in the forum over the past few months and I feel so sorry for you all that have had your vision robbed by deep pocket theif's, we actually refer to as Doctors.
Hopefully you can take appreciation that your advise has saved another.
I pray that some miracle will help you all that have been traumatized by this surgery. I am so ever thankful for the people that have taken the time to share their stories, Broken Eyes, Scientist, and recently APizzo667.
Although not a Lasik patient I would like to hang around and read the latest on the refractive surgery industry and contrbute to whatever I can.
Jeff