Lasek eye laser surgery - has anyone had it?

[nettlefairy]

Hello - a month ago I had lasek (not the more popular Lasik) as I was told I had dry eyes and there were less risks of getting bad side effects (tunnel vision/dry eyes etc). The recovery time with Lasek is meant to be slower but I can't seem to find information on HOW much slower. I'm a month down the line and one eye is still much more blurred than the other. My follow up appointment was to have the temporary lenses out and when the consultant had a look at my eyes she said that this eye was taking longer to heal but I'm worried that I'll have to have it re-done and that it will never adjust to the same good vision as the other one. Anyone else have any experiences that they can share about Lasek - would be really appreciated!!!

It took me 8 weeks for the dry eyes to go. Sounds like you might need a retreatment. My sight was great from day 1.
The gritty eye feeling is horrid isn't it. Use tons and tons of the drops.

Thanks for your post. My eyes don't feel dry at all now, in fact I was surprised to be told I had dry eyes as had no idea!! Did you have Lasek then? Was this as you had v. bad eyesight or also dry eyes? I had real trouble with my temporary lenses - the eye I was talking about clouded over completely (some problem with protein built up I think) and I think/hope that this might have slowed down the recovery process but that this might mean it will still get better... oh dear. don't relish the thought of having to go through it again. hmmmfffh

Isn't corneal haze a possibility with LASEK? I don't think it necessarily causes permanent problems if you're unlucky enough to notice it at all, but maybe that is contributing to the blurriness? If it is haze and not just a imperfect correction, then I think it could take quite some time to clear(eg many months), or for it to become apparent that it won't go away completely on its own - or it could get better quite quickly, it's pretty unpredictable. If it's an imperfect correction of your prescription rather than haze, then you'll have to have a retreatment or put up with the blur.

ps I had LASIK, so this is only based on what I read about LASEK when I was deciding what option would be best for me (prescription over -6, so much greater risk of haze than someone with a prescription under -6, hence my option to go for LASIK).

I would love to have this done as blind as a bat but scared of the 'pinning eye open in manner of clockwork orange' bit - to be clear I have no idea about if this really happens but in my overactive imagination it does!

woolymindy, not to put your mind at rest, with LASIK at least, they not only pin your eye open, they also press down on it so hard that the whole world goes white and your eye is totally immobilised. Wouldn't want it rolling around in terror while they try to slice a flap into your cornea, after all!

thanks rabbitstew (although you've probably petrified woolymindy off the idea!!) I spoke to an opthermologist and it sounds as if I haven't been using my dry eye drops as much as I should (they don't feel dry) and it will pass. You clearly did more research than me on both of them -I didn't bother reading about Lasek as was sure I was going for Lasik and it was only at the appointment that they said Lasek would be better for me...hoping no permanant haze...