Lasik | Lasek Problems

My understanding is that it's not the epithelium which is the main concern after problem laser surgery, whether IK or EK:

"The deeper layers of the cornea, as opposed to the outer epithelium, are laid down early in life and have very limited regenerative capacity. The deeper layers, if reshaped by a laser or cut by a microtome, will remain that way permanently with only limited healing or remodelling."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photorefractive_keratectomy

Hi NannyPat

Having undergone a macular peel (not due to laser treatment), I read your story and literally cringed. It makes me feel sick in the stomach reading stories such as yours.

I know what it is like to undergo major invasive eye surgery due to retinal tears, I've had three ops. To go through that due to a cosmetic procedure, honestly I don't know what to say, it sickens me, it really does, shudder to think what you have been through.

(Despite three ops and extremely poor vision in my right eye, lets not let those minor details stop Mr Faqir Qazi trying to convince me to also have eye laser surgery on the affected eye, with the conviction he could fix that also, hey come on now, profit is profit).

No doubt a fair few have had their stories suppressed, yet there will be many more to come, this is just the beginning of an avalanche. I know it's a cliché NannyPat, but I feel for you having been there, its just one horrendous story after another, I really don't know what to say, I am speechless. Hang on in there, for possible legal advice, Sasha is the one to touch base with.

Nick

Hi Poppy, that makes it sound like "it's your fault"!!!!

OE seems to have standard lines, because no matter which Optrom I saw they all said the same thing. "it looks great", " it takes time", "all eyes heal differently".

What I would really like to know is, what is the expectation for the successful regeneration of the epithelium following LASEK, (Lasek usually follows an unsuccessful Lasik procedure). Successful as in, it returns to the same thickness as it was prior to surgery.

Having come across the attached PDF. From a lay-persons view-point, I form the impression, it is an unknown entity, given there are so many variables.

Is this the reason so many patients end up over-corrected?
Was LASEK the best option for me rather than LASIK, given my poor vision in my other eye.

Certainly surgery was a high risk procedure for myself (numbers given priority over what is best for the patient!) , can't help wondering if was I given the best option for success? Lasek v's Lasik, while appreciating the ethical & moral answer should have been no treatment at all, as advised by a few other sources.

What next I wonder, "refractive eye surgery for the blind" :woohoo:

Hi

I had both my eyes lasered with OE in September 2008 I had the best treatment they could offer Lasik wavefront with Intralase and paid top price!!!
After the op I was left with undercorrection in both eyes but more in the left, I was told I needed a enhancement to correct it, I had the enhancement 11 months later in August 09 BIG BIG MISTAKE I had to have a Lasek op which was performed by Joanna MCGraw I could feel her rubbing away at my eyes and felt the pressure of the machine as it did its lasering the after pain was unbearable once the numbing had worn off, I tried phoning the emergency number but no reply so I just put up with it as best I could, the bandage lens were taken out a couple days after but I was still in pain went for another check up and it was discovered that I had a tear on my cornea which was causing all the pain I had a Bandage lens fitted again to allow the healing to take place.

I had loads of floaters constantly in my left eye which I was told was 'normal' and then started getting flashes in there as well, had a massive amount of floaters and bubbles one morning in December 09 went to hospital urgently and was told that the Vitrious Gel was pulling on my Retina nothing was done and I went home.

Seen by Joanna MCGraw in February 2010 and she could see and noted that I had a retinal tear but FAILED TO TELL ME!!!! So nothing was done about it I was seen again in August 10 as I was fed up with all the floaters obstructing my vision it was then discovered by the Optician that I had the tear I had to get to the hospital for treatment urgently they lasered it but I found it so painful they had to stop I was crying and upset, went back to the hospital 4 days later and had to have a Cyropexy freezing treatment they numb your eye first with a injection straight into your eye sooo painful, still had loads of floaters affecting my vision.

Since then I have had surgery for a Vitrectomy and membrain peel which caused a Detatched Retinia the emergency surgery I had for that was really terrifying again I had to have a massive needle put in my eye to numb it!!! and that all caused a Cataract to grow rapidly which I have had done in November 12 but that has not work and I now need glasses or more laser surgery called YAG.

Been trying to get OE to pay for my glasses and want compensation for all I have been through the pain trauma stress depression and being left with dry tender eyes starbursts halos whizzy things all going on in my left eye etc etc and my right eye is now at risk of it all happening to it so will be going through it all again!!!! All OE will offer me is a £500 gift voucher and I have to sign a gagging letter say no more!!!!

I will not give up I have been through to much to roll over now and accept a insulting 'gesture of goodwill' and to keep quite I will continue to keep you all updated.

Hi Have only just found and joined this site.

I am so pleased to discover that I am not alone in my fight against OE. I have had and still have so many problems with my eyes because of these people. I will be posting my story on here very soon just need to speak to Sasha first.

Please watch this space!!!
.

I wish I had consulted Mr Mantos and NOT OE.
I was told precisely this AFTER the procedure and WHEN I realised I could not see clearly. Following surgery and many many consultations with numerous inept and disinterested optometrist across three different branches of OE my condition was summarised by Laura Davies Optometrist at Shrewsbury branch with her findings " your eyes haven't healed properly and that's why you've got RUBBISH VISION".
I was speechless. These were the words of the woman who originally established that I was a suitable candidate for surgery. She epitomises the level of experience and professionalism of OE staff.
I believe that OE are TOTALLY aware of the likelihood of failed surgery for those with myopia. They just don't care that they are butchering the eyes of innocent and trusting people.

OE's website boasts that surgeon Waseem Aziz has performed over 75000 laser eye surgery procedures.
I was unfortunate enough to be one of his patients.
He readily admitted to me that he had over corrected one eye and under corrected the other.
He offered 'enhancement' surgery.
When asked how many patients did he perform this attempted corrective surgery on he once again freely admitted 5% Of his patients (3750 to date then). This number obviously excludes those like me who would not let any employee of OE anywhere near my eyes again.
This man alone therefore is personally responsible for thousands of failed procedures. The number of failures throughout the OE Company is staggering.
OE's manipulated statistics are nothing less than criminal in my view.
Perhaps we should push for a revelation of the negative statistics which surely is not such an unreasonable request from such a 'caring' and 'responsible' Company trading in people's health?

I'm confused here.

During Lasek, is the regrowth of the epithelium an expected entity? In most cases is it expected to regrow 100% prior to surgery, or a case of 'suck it and see'?

I googled "regrowth of epithelium after lasek" plenty of info on the web.

Here is one such link;

bmctoday.net/crstoday/2010/04/article.as...prk-over-prior-lasik

"MARK A. KONTOS, MD
Although PRK over prior LASIK has advantages, it carries a degree of uncertainty regarding the surgical outcome. Multiple factors probably cause variable outcomes. Mitomycin C (MMC) may have a less predictable effect in this setting, and epithelial hyperplasia is also a significant factor in many of these cases. When I looked through my past cases, I noticed that the patients who had a hyperopic overcorrection tended also to have moderate-to-high myopia at the time of their primary LASIK. The patients who had little or no effect after PRK often had lower myopia at the time of their primary LASIK. I try to keep this in mind when planning treatments. Because of the unpredictable nature of this type of enhancement, a detailed discussion with the patient about all possible outcomes is critical. Sometimes, the best plan of action is to leave things as they are".

As a lay person, I'm wondering if surgeons don't know 100% the expected regrowth of the epithelium, which may also be influenced by the use of Mitomycin C (MMC) as used by the High Street chains, then what the hell is going on, is every Lasek procedure a journey into the unknown?

Feel free to enlighten / correct me.