Laser Eye Surgery and Regression, Dr. Chynn Has The Solution!
Dr. Chynn:
I saw your classified in Columbia Magazine and figured I write you about a situation I’m experiencing. I had the laser eye surgery performed in both eyes in 2000 at TLC in White Plains. Everything was fine until about six months ago when I noticed my sight wasn’t as sharp as it had been. I went to my eye doctor and he confirmed that there was a problem with my right eye — it was regressing. He suggested I go back to TLC for a full evaluation and to see if it was correctable. I went to TLC, underwent a full evaluation and afterwards they informed me that my right eye had indeed regressed and there was nothing more they could do — the cornea was too thin to try any additional procedure.
If you do not have enough residual corneal tissue to laser, I could still enhance you as I do not enhance LASIKs by lifting up the old flap, lasering deeper, then replacing the flap. Instead, I do the safer, more advanced technique whereby I perform a LASEK + mitomycin C on top of your old flap. Therefore, I am not going deeper into your cornea, taking off more residual stromal bed, or weakening your eye further. You would have to call for an appointment for a SECOND OPINION which would be billed to your MEDICAL INSURANCE, so you would need a referral if you have a HMO.
When I pressed them about their “Lifetime Care Guarantee” and insisted that they should pay for my subsequent care — meaning new glasses or contact lenses and all the expenses that go with it — they said they would pass it along to TLC headquarters.
A VP from TLC subsequently called me and asked me about my situation. At the end of the call, he offered me a full refund for my surgery — $5,500. I was surprised by this offer and also a little concerned. Why would they offer me a full refund — I didn’t even ask for it. Was there something bigger at work here? Was my eye damaged in any way? Were they trying to avoid a bigger expense?
I also find this a bit odd. There is a possibility that you do not have regression, and are too thin to laser–you may have PROGRESSION, if they lasered you too thin to begin with and now you have iatrogenic keratoconus (KC), in which case they might be offering you a settlement. I cannot determine any of this without testing your eyes, obviously, so again you have to call and come in for a second opinion.
I have asked for my records, which I have yet to receive. I am scheduled to visit my eye doctor this week to go over my options and also have him examine my eye again for damage.
Is there any advice or consultation you can offer? Thank you for your consideration.
I do not wish to disparage your current doctor in any way, but without the $100,000+ of testing equipment I have because I own a laser center (eg, OrbScan, WaveFront, etc), your doctor will not be able to distinguish regular regression from iatrogenic KC progression. So, feel free to see your MD, ask for a copy of your medical records, then bring them in when you come in for your 2nd opinion. I will tell you definitively which one you have, and thus which route to go down (ie, enhancement or not). Don’t worry, if I were placing odds on this I think you just have regression, can’t have another LASIK, but I can enhance you with a LASEK.
See you soon!
–
Emil William Chynn, MD FACS MBA
Dartmouth/Columbia/Harvard/Emory/NYU-trained
1st surgeon in NYC to have LASIK!
10,000 cases - 100% Legal To Drive!
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