The GVR Scleral Lens and Lasik

Lasik Complications are the unanticipated events that can take place after the LASIK surgery is done. Many of these complications may not take place immediately after the surgery but can take place months or years later. These complications include but are not limited to:

• 1. Severe Dry Eye (the most common complication affecting over a third of the entire post-LASIK population)
• 2. Irregular, uneven or rough corneal surface.
• 3. Blurred, distorted and unstable vision.
• 4. Reduced vision indoors and at night.
• 5. Glare, halos and starbursts and eye pain.
• 6. Vitreous floaters, and posterior vitreous detachment.
• 7. Light sensitivity, ghost images and/or double vision.
• 8. Complications with the surgically induced LASIK flap such as wrinkles, debris or cellular growth beneath the flap.
• 9. Corneal ectasia which a bulging or protrusion of the corneal surface.
• 10. Corneal epithelial erosion.
• 11. Severe depression and in some instances thoughts of suicide.

As stated above, dry eye is the most common complication encountered in the post-LASIK population. It is for this reason that literally hundreds of different dry eye formulations are available at your local pharmacy and on-line. It is for this reason that the well advertised dry eye solution known as Restasis is so popular. Many of the containers that these drops come in state that their contents are designed for post-LASIK dry eye.

One might wonder why LASIK surgery is associated with dry eyes and in some instances chronically severe dry eye. The reason for this is that around 70% of the corneal nerves are severed during the LASIK operation. Because of this the lubrication system of the eye is affected. These severed corneal nerves may never fully recover to their pre-operative condition. For this reason among others, a gas permeable scleral lens is for most post-LASIK patients suffering from LASIK complications the ideal technology for restoring quality vision and ocular comfort. All of our patients suffering from the complications mentioned above, are wearing the GVR Scleral lens. The GVR lens is designed around each individual eye with the use of proprietary software made by Zeiss and Oculus technologies. The GVR lens vaults over the compromised cornea and is supported by the white portion of the eye known as the sclera. The space between the back surface of the lens and the front surface of the cornea is filled with unpreserved saline solution. In almost every instance, comfort and vision is excellent. In addition, almost all of our patients are able to wear these unique lenses for all of their waking hours. The GVR Scleral lens in effect replaces the cornea as an optical surface. In addition because the front of the eye in always in a moist environment, the GVR Scleral lens has a therapeutic or healing effect on the compromised cornea.