Laser Vision Surgery & Keratoconus
Laser Vision Surgery for Keratoconus: Selective Cases can benefit from Laser
Mr. Rod Sumrall -Attorney at Law, Maryland. USA
Hello: I am new to this forum, but as a fellow KC sufferer and a patient of Dr. Gulani’s who has undergone the Advanced Corneal Laser Surgery that has been discussed on this forum, I wanted to share my thoughts and experiences. First and foremost, my apologies on the length of this post, I tried really hard to be brief! However, due to the misinformation that seems to be widely circulating and pushed upon suffers of KC, as well as, the relatively new but extremely successful nature of Dr. Gulani’s advanced corneal laser procedure, I figured the only way to tell my story would be to tell my entire story. That being said, here is my story.Prior to discovering that I had KC, I struggled with years and years of fluctuating and rapidly declining vision. I went from optometrist to optometrist in the hope of finding a doctor who could get a grasp on what seemed to be progressively deteriorating eye sight. Needless to say, this deteriorating vision and the absence of relief, (meaningful correction), from any eye doctor that I had met with was having a dramatic effect on my overall life and profession as an attorney.Discouraged with failed attempts to correct my vision via prescription after prescription of glasses and contacts, I ultimately sought out what I had hoped would be the end all remedy to my vision problems –Lasik. As such, I made an appointment with a local Lasik center in my part-time residency of Annapolis, Maryland. Perhaps not unlike many others who are eventually diagnosed with Keratoconus (KC), it was at this free Lasik evaluation that I first learned of the devastating news… (quote)….”not only are you not a candidate for Lasik but you have a degenerative corneal disease called (KC) and you need to see a corneal specialist….. if you take nothing from this free consultation, whatever you do not let anyone perform Lasik on your eyes.” Shocked at the news, but partially relieved to have a reason for my wavering vision, I was then referred to a corneal specialist in Baltimore who confirmed that I indeed had (KC) in both of my eyes. It was also here that I was advised that there weren’t many options for returning optimal vision to people with my condition, in fact, at that time I was told that gas-permeable contact lenses and corneal transplants were all I could hope for. Following this evaluation, I was again referred to another doctor, this time, quote, to…“an Optometrist who specializes in treating people with (KC).” Upon meeting with this Optometrist I was told that gas-permeable contacts were my only options and I was fitted for a pair on that very same day. Needless to say, for anyone who has had the displeasure of wearing gas-permeable contact lenses, I was not happy! Plagued with their extreme discomfort, it wasn’t long before I chose to return to my poor sight over wearing the GP contact lenses. Stifled yet again, but armed with a diagnosis, I began to research anything and everything I could on (KC), which eventually brought me to Intacs. Optimistic about Intacs, but mainly for anything other then gas-permeable (GP) contacts and cornea transplants, I began to look into doctors who would perform the Intacs procedure. During this search, a verAttorney Rod Sumerall and Father Keratoconus Gulani Vision Institute Jacksonville Floriday close friend of mine, knowledgeable of my vision issues, had recently gone to see Dr. Gulani at the Gulani Vision Institute in Jacksonville, Florida for non-KC related vision problems and was so impressed by his knowledge that she recanted my condition with him. Eager to provide me with information, Dr. Gulani requested to my friend that I contact him. Responding to his gracious request and eager for information I immediately called Dr. Gulani, whereby I spoke with him in great length, faxed to him my medical records, made an appointment for a consultation, and flew down to Jacksonville for the same. For those of you who have met with Dr. Gulani, it goes without saying that he is truly without parallel in his profession. Prior to my consultation with Dr. Gulani I was hopeful that I would be a candidate for Intacs. To my surprise, however, not only did I learn that I was a candidate for Intacs but that I was also, and even better, suited for an advanced form of corneal laser surgery, the results of which could produce a more precise vision correction. The very procedure discussed on this forum thread. Hopeful, but obviously cautious of the same, I spoke with Dr. Gulani in great detail about my desires, options, and concerns, including, but not limited to, the warnings that had been disseminated to me regarding Lasik and people with KC by other doctors, the potential for additional and future degeneration of the cornea, and what my future options would be if I had the surgery and corneal degeneration continued to occur. Fortunately for me, I was informed that because of the nature of my particular KC and the minimal degree of corneal layers that needed to be adjusted, even if future degeneration of the cornea were to occur, I would still be a candidate for Intacs should I so need. Armed with this information, I opted to have the procedure done.To date, it’s been roughly 7 months since I had the procedure done on my left eye – Dr. Gulani prefers to do one eye at a time – and the results are nothing short of miraculous. I COULD NOT BE ANY MORE HAPPY! As for my vision before and after, I was visually handicapped in both eyes, legally blind, including a high astigmatism as an associated factor of KC in my left eye. After the procedure I am now 20/25 uncorrected (without glasses or contacts) and I’m set to have my right eye corrected later this year. While everybody’s condition is different, and the post surgery vision restoration will vary depending on everyone’s unique condition, the benefits to having this surgery are far more reaching. That is, since the overall purpose of the procedure is to correct the physical distortion of the cornea – to bring it near as possible back to it’s natural shape – those individuals such as myself who could not be corrected to 20/20, can still, post surgery, further enhance their vision more precisely with traditional corrective measures (glasses or contacts), should they so wish. Though I am pleased to say that I do not use glasses or contacts.
DUE TO THE AMAZING RESULTS AND RELIEF THIS PROCEDURE HAS HAD ON MY LIFE, I COULD TALK FOREVER on this subject, and since I kind of already have, let me just say, in sum, I would, without hesitation, strongly urge anyone seeking to improve their eyesight, especially those with (KC), to speak with Dr. Gulani about their individual options; and should you be a candidate for this procedure, I would unequivocally recommend it. It goes without saying that this procedure has changed my life, without measure, and I hope in some way that my words on this forum can in some way help other who suffer from KC.
In fact, if anyone wants to talk to me more directly about (KC), or in more detail about Dr. Gulani and his Advanced Corneal Laser Surgery, please feel free to email me at sumrallr@hotmail.com Sorry for the long read. Best of Luck to Everyone! Rod
PS – For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Gulani and the Gulani Vision Institute, his website is https://www.gulanivision.com/ Rod has since referred his mother to Dr.Gulani to correct her Astigmatism with Advanced Laser Vision surgery following her cataract surgery done elsewhere.
I have (or had) severe keratoconus in my right eye and slight keratoconus in my left. Dr. Gulani performed my INTACs surgery (Jacksonville, FL USA). For my right eye, having intac surgery made a huge difference. My vision went from 20/400 to 20/40 (uncorrected). My left eye is a different story. With contacts I have 20/20 vision. Dr. Gulani said that since my keratoconus was not as severe in my left eye I was eligible for laser correction. It is only because my condition is drastically less severe in my left eye that Dr. Gulani suggested this option. I’m anxiously awaiting this procedure this summer, confident that should my condition in my left eye worsen in the future, I can always have intact surgery – which once again, has made a huge difference in my vision. I hope that my situation helps to alleviate anyone’s concern about laser correction on a eye with slight keratoconus.
James Demps Jacksonville, Florida