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Double Vision and Recovery

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Did anybody experience double vision in the recovery and for how long?

Also, how long did it take for the full recovery to be complete?
 

Rubiks06

Registered User
pilot
I had mine done on a Thursday. Felt ok Thursday night. Hurt like hell Friday. Saturday and Sunday I was blind. No kidding I couldn't see crap. Something about the way they skin on my eye healed back. It scared the crap out of me. Monday I went in for the check up. I had double vision for probably three or four days after that and then it progressively got better. I had night halos for almost a year. I was 100% after about a year. They told me that was normal and that it usually takes about a year to be where its going to stay. You have good days and bad days. Its perfectly normal.
 

UMichfly

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
Ditto what Rubiks said. I had issues with ghosting and double vision for probably 3-4 months after the surgery and I was damn scared that I had screwed myself by getting PRK but I hit NAMI about 4 months post-surgery and I was golden.
 

cfam

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Same here...its been a year since my surgery, and the halos just faded. Your vision will eventually stabilize though....mine got to 20/15 at my 6 month checkup. The first few weeks were pretty blurry, plus a bit of double vision...scared the crap out of me, but it's all perfect now.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Well I was just wondering because I had mine on 17 December and the double vision hasn't gotten much milder. I wake up fine, and it gradually sets in until it's moderate at the end of the day. Should my eyes take this long to get rid of that double vision?
 

FastMover

NFO
None
Well I was just wondering because I had mine on 17 December and the double vision hasn't gotten much milder. I wake up fine, and it gradually sets in until it's moderate at the end of the day. Should my eyes take this long to get rid of that double vision?

If you're really concerned about it then you need to ask the Doc at your next check-up. If you don't have one scheduled for a while then you may want to call a nurse at the Doc's office.

Good luck with your recovery. From what I've read on here everyone's is different. Some have halos, some don't...some have double vision, some don't, etc. I was fortunate to have a relatively uneventful recovery after I had PRK done last March. Bottom line is if you're really concerned, call your Doc. He'll probably be able to answer your questions better than any of us.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Yeah, that's true. I saw my doctor yesterday. Despite the double vision I was 20/20 in both eyes, but the double vision has overlapping with the ghost image so it gets kind of tough. He said to wait it out. I only asked on this forum to see if others on here have had the same symptoms for the same amount of time and what their results were. I am definitely getting concerned.
 

UMichfly

Well-Known Member
pilot
None
I had the same thing for 3-4 months like I said is my earlier post. It goes away.
 

el douge

This one time at band camp...
I actually have the same issue. I had my sugury on June 28 and I'm a little over six months out now. I still have some minor ghosting going on and I had double vision until about a month and a half ago. My doc also said to give it more time, he's also one of the most respected eye surgeons in the country, so I take his word, but I know the feeling of being scared. I am also 20/15 right now, but the ghosting makes reading the letters a little tough. Hang in there, I wouldn't worry too much until the doc says he has to re-do the surgury and then you're out 6 more months.
 

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
For me, it took about a year to be completly healed. The halo's were pretty bad for the first 6 months. It has now been 5 years since my surgery and on good days, still have 20/12 each eye. I had a flight physical last year where I had no sleep, not feeling well and still saw 20/15. Read the 20/13 line on this last one, it then went to 20/10 which I could read with both eyes but not all of it with each eye. About half with each. Point is, my eyes are still going strong after 5 years. Best surgery I've had.
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
How is ghosting different from double vision? El Douge, will your ghosting go away?
 

el douge

This one time at band camp...
I guess I don't know how severe your double vision is. I call it ghosting or shadowing, because when look at lights for instance a tail light on a car; when I'm driving at night at certain distances i see a ghost of the tail lights next to the real ones, or they shadow off of the real light.

It's worst some days than others. My doc told me not to worry too much yet, it is still healing and it should go away we'll see. It makes me worry tough too because I'm working towards a pilot slot, I need to see clearly.

Just listen to your doc and drink water, when i'm hydrated I can see a lot more clearly. it helps!
 

Python

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
Hey guys,

Just to revive this old thread...at around 15 March, just a couple of days shy of the 3 month mark, nearly overnight 98% of the ghosting had gone away. On 28 March I had a follow up and my doctor said I had 20/15 in each eye.

Apparently patience is everything with this. When they say it can take up to three months I guess they mean it. I still have dry eyes and some starbursting at night but for the most part it's pretty amazing.

I also noticed that I started reading things while driving, just to show off to myself that I know I can read them and they are far away. I guess it's easy to take perfect vision for granted but I definitely appreciate what I have.
 

spitfiremkxiv

Pepe's sandwich
Contributor
I used eye drops everyday for a year and a half and halos were fairly intense for over a year. I still have fading vision at night, especially if I'm tired and/or dehydrated, but it is not nearly as severe as it used to be. You have nothing to worry about, even three years later I still feel like my eyes are getting progressively better, it's a good thing. Your experience sounds a lot like mine so far.
 

Maddy

New Member
hello.,i have gone throught the post regarding post op lasik problems specially regarding ghosting... i too wanna ask i am 1month 1week pist op lasik and facing the problem of ghosting in my right eye... i am quite worried ..whether it will go away or not.. is it still healing phase... doctor said just wait.. all will be okay.. but still i have the concern nd wanna confirm whether its a temporary problem or might persist forever
 
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