Unfortunately at this time I do not have any pertinent information about lasik to share; I simply have a story to tell. I felt that this site would be the best place to start. I needed an audience that would understand my issues; issues that usually illicit the response “don’t worry they’ll fix you up soon.”
Throughout my youth I felt that performing surgery had been my calling. Do to the fact that I fear for my license, I will not divulge my particular area in medicine, yet I can assure you that I am not involved with ophthalmology. Even at a young age I felt that there were so many doctors, in my given area of medicine, that are not qualified to clip toenails for a living, let alone, perform surgery. This belief forced me to never accept my work as good enough; always to push for unobtainable perfection. This mentality has partially lead to my current handicap.
In my pursuit for self perfection, I chose to obtain some information regarding Lasik from Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery. I simply wished to lessen the prescription in my surgical loupes. I was completely unprepared for what was to come. I knew, from my personal experience, that you do not toy with a person’s health. That idea, coupled with the belief that if a physician, one that came from a reputable school, taught students at that school, had children, one of with is going to become an ophthalmologist, would touch an individuals eyes, then they would be damn sure to “do no harm.” Although the fact that doctors usually do not lie, steal, and hurt other doctors, should not be another of my reasons,it is. I clearly stated to Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery that I need precision vision for my area of work. I also mentioned, quite clearly, that I wished to not have issues with my vision, in order to practice for life. Apparently he chose to turn a deaf ear.
My lasik travesty then began in mid-2003, where, after a lengthy sales pitch and many lies, I was butchered. I was relatively calm the first year. The double vision, I was assured, would go away, due to the fact that the “cornea heals slowly.” I was also told to not worry, because the dryness in my eyes would subside after about six to ten months…. Hold on everyone, it’s at this point where “Dr.” Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery really gets rolling, and the story gets good.
After collecting my records, I noted a number of oddities. Both pupils at 7.5mm, absolutely no dry eye test, stable vision for THREE months, family history of dry eye not noted (which probably explains why prior to surgery my contact lenses would always pop out), and failure to note occurrences in my record honestly, or at all. At this point I still remained calm, because I was foolishly convinced that when Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery operates on a fellow physician, he doesn’t mess around (I wasn’t yet accustomed to that level of professional savagery.)
So everyone is aware, at this point I have quite a bit of irregular astigmatism and unaddressed microstriae in my left eye and relatively mild irregular astigmatism in my right, resulting in a post-lasik 20/40 and 20/20, respectively. Basically out of my right eye I saw two moons in the sky, and four out of my left. Keep in mind, my field is detail oriented and even microns matter.
I began to lose my patience when Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery began giving me comments like “I don’t understand, I have had other doctors happy with a vision quality like yours” and “lets see if we could get you into some work glasses, because you basically need to see just well enough to work, right?” I was especially annoyed when I confronted him about various aspects of lasik surgery. I had to actually put a research article in his face to shut him up. I am now left with the few options that we are all left with after lasik.
I was always such a happy person, at least prior to lasik, and the help of Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery. I cannot begin to explain how much I hate Dr. Joseph P. [redacted] of [redacted] Eye Care and Surgery with every bone in my body. I can only deeply hope that he receives the same level of care, honestly and consideration, that he has offered me, from every physician he is to see.
I thank you all in advance for reading.