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LASIK and SLK
Unfortunately I went ahead and had LASIK 2 months ago. Worst decision of my life. Since then my eyes have been really dry. I recently went to a very good specialist in Boston for my dry eyes. He diagnosed me with SLK. Could LASIK have caused SLK? Or are these 2 totally seperate things? Also what is the general treatment for SLK?
Also I have read that cataract surgery and now be difficult after LASIK. I am 42 years old and now am worried that I have totally messed up my eyes and eventually when I get cataracts. I plan on keeping all of the info from before the surgery and after so if I ever need cataract surgery this will help.
Also I have read that cataract surgery and now be difficult after LASIK. I am 42 years old and now am worried that I have totally messed up my eyes and eventually when I get cataracts. I plan on keeping all of the info from before the surgery and after so if I ever need cataract surgery this will help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Cataract surgery will be fine as long as you have all your records so don't worry too much about that. Dry eye does get worse after LASIK but the SLK connection I haven't heard of. Discuss it with your cornea specialist, there are multiple treatment options and each specialist has their preference. You can read more about the various options online using emedicine or similar website.
HV
HV
Houman,
Thanks for your response. I have another follow up with the LASIK surgeon in September. I will make sure I get all of my records from him. I never had dry eyes before the LASIK surgery. But I had tried contacts twice in my life and I couldn't deal with them. I didn't like the way they felt. I told the LASIK surgeon that in the pre-evaluation. Now I read that dry eyes are a cause of contact lense intolerence! But my eyes have not felt right since the day of the surgery, even though my vision is 20/15 in both eyes.
I kept going back to the LASIK surgeon complaining of dryness. So they put plugs in both eyes, I use artificial tears all day long, I take flaxseed oil and fish oil pills daily, I put a gel in my eyes for nighttime, and I am on 100mg of minocycline daily. Nothing seems to work.
So I decided to get a second opinion from another cornea specialist. He put some crazy die in my eyes and immediately diagnosed me with SLK. I asked him if the LASIK could have caused it. He didn't think so.
But do you think this could have been a pre-existing condition and the additional dryness from the LASIK sent me over the edge?
The doctor wants me to use systane gel drops up to 4 times a day, and then preservative free drops if I need more. I go back to see him in 1 month. But I am not sure how just using the artificial tears is going to help. I have been using them for 2 months.
He also did bloodwork to rule out any thyroid issues, which I guess i somewhat common in SLK.
Thanks for your response. I have another follow up with the LASIK surgeon in September. I will make sure I get all of my records from him. I never had dry eyes before the LASIK surgery. But I had tried contacts twice in my life and I couldn't deal with them. I didn't like the way they felt. I told the LASIK surgeon that in the pre-evaluation. Now I read that dry eyes are a cause of contact lense intolerence! But my eyes have not felt right since the day of the surgery, even though my vision is 20/15 in both eyes.
I kept going back to the LASIK surgeon complaining of dryness. So they put plugs in both eyes, I use artificial tears all day long, I take flaxseed oil and fish oil pills daily, I put a gel in my eyes for nighttime, and I am on 100mg of minocycline daily. Nothing seems to work.
So I decided to get a second opinion from another cornea specialist. He put some crazy die in my eyes and immediately diagnosed me with SLK. I asked him if the LASIK could have caused it. He didn't think so.
But do you think this could have been a pre-existing condition and the additional dryness from the LASIK sent me over the edge?
The doctor wants me to use systane gel drops up to 4 times a day, and then preservative free drops if I need more. I go back to see him in 1 month. But I am not sure how just using the artificial tears is going to help. I have been using them for 2 months.
He also did bloodwork to rule out any thyroid issues, which I guess i somewhat common in SLK.
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