RK 30 years ago, Lasik 15 years later

This is a photo of an eye that underwent Radial Keratotomy surgery over 30 years ago followed by LASIK surgery 15 years later. A special green-yellow dye was used to highlight defects on the corneal surface. The green “spoke-like” lines radiating out from the center of the cornea toward the periphery are the open RK incisions, still open after all these years. Due to the resultant poor vision created by the RK surgery, this patient decided to undergo LASIK in an effort to undo the damage created by the RK operation. Note the bright horizontal cut just above 6:00 O’Clock. This cut was done to correct an astigmatic error in this eye. This particular incision or cut created a great deal of pain which this patient had to endure for many years. Note the circular tinted ring going around the periphery of the cornea. This is the outline of the LASIK flap. The fact that this line is tinted lets us know that this area is not completely sealed off but still open. Needless to say, this cornea is extremely distorted, dry and often very painful and has been this way for years. This eye was fit with a scleral lens which has eliminated the eye pain and restored quality vision in this eye. The bottom line to what I have written is that there is always hope to get your vision back no matter how bleak you feel your visual future is. I know many members who are reading my words feel that they have no hope to regain what was lost due to their surgery. Please do not give up or give in to any feelings of depression that you may be experiencing.