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LASIK eye problems may be underreported

Right after Lasik, I saw very well but with in a few weeks, worse and worse. I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. Since I abhorred glasses so much, I opted to have the lens implants, one eye for reading and one for distance. It took about 18 months for my brain to adjust, but I see everything well. My ophthalmologist tells me that one eye's flap from the Lasik procedure was not done correctly and has some wrinkles. I use a lot of eye drops especially in the mornings.

When I had my LASIK performed over 7 years ago, I had a brief but scary experience in that for several hours immediately following the operation, my vision in both eyes were very distorted and it was as if I was in a thick fog. Thankfully, the next morning, the fog lifted and the operation ultimately proved to be successful. After a lifetime with thick glasses, I can see well without them to this day with little in the way of lasting effects.

But the experience serves to remind me of the seriousness of LASIK, in that at the end of the day, we're still dealing with a delicate and precise eye operation. I tend to think that LASIK is such a common procedure (and marketed as such) that we may have forgotten that. I wonder if, as an industry, we've done enough to educate patients up front with the potential risks of the procedure, and just what to expect. In my case, I believe my decision was well informed, but I wonder whether that is the exception rather than the rule.

I had LASIK in February of 2006 and am very happy with my eyesight. What I'm not happy with is the nighttime vision and the tiredness and dryness of my eyes at night. I can't read very long at night without pain in my eyes. BUT all that said, I'd take the good vision over the irritation at night any day. I love not having to wear glasses or contacts. And I just adapt to the nighttime stuff.

I have had complications in both eyes since surgery in early 2007. My left eye repeats images 1x on the vertical and the right eye repeats images on the vertical and horizontal planes. As Darwin indicates I too have ripples are certain parts of my lenses