Out of Focus | Hampton Roads Photographer Amanda Stewart Loses Vision after LASIK Eye Surgery

“I’m sorry we don’t have more answers for you. Right now, we are just trying to save your actual eye.”

These are the words that forever changed my life, that repeatedly echo through my head still. It was hard to believe that just one week earlier, I sat up from a quick and simple LASIK eye procedure with the best vision I had ever had in my life. The procedure had gone perfectly, according to my doctor. I had been able to see and read a clock across a room, nothing short of a miracle, for me. And, now my husband and I sat and listened to the same Dr. and my new corneal specialist say that there was a chance I would lose my eye. How did this happen?

For most of my life, I have had terrible vision. It was always just kind of a joke. How thick my glasses were, that time I lost my contact lenses kayaking, my husband snickering as I fumbled around for my glasses when I forgot where I placed them the night before, these things were comical. I was used to it. With the help of glasses and contact lenses, the situation was manageable.

In 2017, I started noticing my eyes rejecting my contacts. They hurt all the time. I had to stop wearing contacts completely. I did not mind the way I looked in glasses, but contact lenses are helpful when you are a professional photographer. My glasses would fog up in my warm newborn studio and on outdoor sessions. Every time I put my eye to my camera, all I could see was the haze. It was so frustrating and affecting my work. I figured there was not much I could do about it and just kept on dealing with the frustration.
In 2018, at my yearly optometry appointment, I addressed my concerns with my eye doctor. Right away, he suggested corrective surgery. He talked about how LASIK can be life-changing, especially for someone with eyesight like mine. He even went so far as to ask me what I would do if he just took my glasses from me right then and there. How would I get home? How would I get out of the room? He set an appointment for the following week to see if I would be a candidate for the LASIK surgical procedure. I was nervous but excited at the prospect of being able to see clearly for the first time in my life.

I researched the local eye surgeons and went to a reputable ophthalmologist here in Hampton Roads. I went for a consultation and was scheduled for surgery within a week. At my pre-op appointment, the ophthalmologist discussed why PRK would be a better option for me. His suggestion made sense to me. I trusted his expert opinion. Two years ago, my husband had PRK, and I knew what to expect. I am tough, and I would have help for the week, so if that was the safest technique for someone like me, that was what I was willing to deal with the extra recovery time.

Hampton Roads Photographer Loses Vision after LASIK surgery

November 19, 2018, was surgery day. I was equal parts anxious and excited. The specialists gave me some valium to calm my nerves. They told me it would be an easy, quick, procedure and then I would see. They were right. The procedure took less than a minute per eye, and when I sat up, I could read a clock across the room. Before, I had not been able to see the clock at all. Now, I could see the hands, the numbers, I could actually read the clock. Overwhelmed with relief, I cried. The doctor told me it was a perfect operation. I could not believe how well I was able to see. It felt like a miracle.

The next day, at my 24-hour checkup, my sight was evaluated as 20/20 in both eyes. The office staff and doctor were excited and proud, saying I had a “best case scenario.” I went home enjoying my new eyes smiling, laughing, and calling friends and family to share the good news. I had no idea what was ahead.

The second morning after my LASIK surgery, I woke up in terrible pain. I hurt BAD! Everyone told me day three would be the worst, so took some pain meds, and tried to rest. By lunchtime, the pain had intensified. I experienced the expected type and level of soreness in my left eye. However, the pain in my right eye was unbearable. I knew in my gut that something was very wrong.

My husband drove me to see the on-call doctor at the eye clinic where I had had the procedure done. The specialist assured me that everything was fine but switched my protective bandage contact for comfort. I did not feel any better, but I trusted they knew how best to treat me. I went home, took the pain meds they prescribed, and went to sleep hoping it would feel better in the morning.

On November 22, Thanksgiving morning, my entire world changed. I woke up unable to open my right eye. I figured it was just probably sticky and gross from the day before and stumbled one-eye-open to the bathroom. I wet a washcloth with warm water and slowly started compressing my eye so I could get it open. I will never forget the moment the lid painfully released. I saw nothing but bright white. This was not the expected blurred vision some experience after LASIK. My right eye was blind. Even the dim bathroom light caused searing pain. I forced my lids open to trying to see what was happening. My heart started pounding as panic ran through me.

We called the emergency number for my ophthalmologist, and they agreed to see me right away. I put on sunglasses and piled jackets over my head to block the light for the ride. Sitting in the chair at the doctor’s office, I knew it must be serious. The doctor was very quiet. He asked me to tell him how many fingers he was holding up. I answered, “I can’t even see your hand, your arm, I can’t even tell you’re there.” He waved his hand 1 inch away from my face. I only noticed movement from the changes in the white light. The doctor left the room and did not return for over an hour. I overheard him making multiple phone calls. When he returned, he didn’t have much to say but presented me with an extensive list of prescriptions including four different types of steroids, antibiotics, concentrated vitamin C, and, thankfully, strong pain pills. I was instructed to administer the eye medications every fifteen minutes. All day. Every day until further notice. I left the office with no answers and no indication of whether I would ever regain vision.

I spent the rest of my Thanksgiving holiday in a medicated slumber with my dear husband running up the stairs every fifteen minutes to put drops in my eyes, all while he was cooking for our guests. For the following week, I had to visit the eye center daily for monitoring. On the fourth day, after the holiday weekend had passed, I finally got some answers. Just not any of the ones I wanted to hear.

MRSA infection after LASIK eye surgery

My ophthalmologist called me in to tell me my labs came back positive for MRSA, a dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. I had a 6mm open MRSA infection right on top of my pupil. He discharged me from his care and immediately sent me to a corneal specialist across town. My corneal specialist was impressive and knowledgeable. He apologized for the hard news that instead of focusing my eyesight, we would rather have to concentrate on saving my eye. Wait, WHAT? Could I lose my eye? Yes, it was very likely that the infection would destroy my eye. At that moment, I was thankful to be dulled by pain medication because this was the scariest news of my life. I cried and cried. What would happen to my career? What about my kids, and driving, my gosh, my husband is in the military I need to drive.

My doctor was kind, and patient, and apologized again, but he offered no definite answers. Instead, he explained his game plan to save my eye so that we could get the answers I was looking for later. I told him to do anything it took. That afternoon, he installed something called Prokera over the infected eye. Prokera is a thick, extremely uncomfortable contact-like graph made from amniotic membranes donated from mamas who have C-sections. That’s right, I had baby’s amniotic sac on my eye. It seemed too bizarre to be real. But, at that point, I would have done anything to save my eye.

The following three weeks consisted of daily appointments measuring my abrasion. It was healing, albeit slowly. I was on a steady rotation of medications; steroids, pain pills, and antibiotics. I could not get out of bed. I was in pain, I was uncomfortable, and I was ANGRY. Every morning I woke up and opened my eyes only to remember what happened to me. I yelled, cried, screamed, and entirely hid from friends and family. Finally, I decided I had had enough. I needed answers. I needed to know what was happening.
I pulled myself together and had a direct conversation with my corneal specialist. He told me the odds of regaining vision without surgical intervention just were not on my side, at least, not to the point where I would be happy. We discussed corneal transplant, a scary procedure with a long recovery. I would not know if I needed one for months or even a year. At this point, I had been out of work for almost a month. I had not been able to drive for nearly a month. Paying for my studio with no income and no hope in sight was impossible. I had an active MRSA infection. I made the hard decision to shut my studio photography business down, instead of signing my annual lease. I cried uncontrollably for days. The future seemed grim. I had lost my vision and my career and my sanity. This surgery took the life I loved from me, and I was bitter.

At a check-up appointment four weeks later, the doctor found that the infection had cleared. The wound had closed. My cornea was intact. I was finally able to have the Prokera implant removed. I thought this might finally be the day that I would have at least some of my sight back to my injured eye. Instead, I was only able to make out something resembling the biggest E on a well lit eye chart. My eyesight had not returned and simply using my glasses could no longer help me. I was devastated all over again. Again, the specialist and I discussed surgery. I asked about other options. We settled on giving the eye time to see if anything would change on its own. I continued the medications and spent the next weeks just trying to accept it all.

During Christmas vacation, while visiting family out of state, I had to be admitted to the local emergency room. The pain in my right eye had returned. What little I was able to see had vanished overnight. The doctors there decided that my eye would not remain stable without steroids. Those same steroids began causing cataracts. My eye team had to readjust the care plan, and I was prescribed additional medications.

Recovering from LASIK Eye Surgery Complications

Another month has passed. A minor amount of vision has returned through the white haze I predominantly see through my right eye. I must continue using medication indefinitely to keep my eye stable. My eyes both good and bad both cause me tremendous pain daily. I need to cover them from simple things like ceiling fans, and the heaters blowing in my car. I can’t leave my house without sunglasses even on the cloudiest of days. No one knows whether my vision will continue to improve or deteriorate. While they now believe I will be able to keep my eye, it seems that I will not regain sight without further invasive procedures. The doctors are careful to avoid false hope.

I, however, have experienced some significant personal improvements. After coming to terms and eventually thinking, “Well, screw it,” I was able to refocus and start moving forward. I got back behind the wheel of my car. I got back behind my camera. I got back in front of my computer. I have realized that I can do this. I can live like this. Better than that, I can rock this. I have started taking care of my kids again and driving them to school nearby. I have recently started to get back to photo editing at home on my computer. Although I tire quickly, and when my eyes or head hurt, I have to stop, I am getting back some semblance of my former life. The lack of eyesight and side effects of medication isn’t helping matters. But, I AM DOING IT!

What happens when a photographer loses vision after LASIK eye surgery?

Unfortunately, being away from the business for a few months, I was unable to hold onto lease on my previous photography studio. Missing three months of income, I could not afford to build an entirely new studio. I felt I had no other choice but to give up my photography career and focus on my second income of outsourcing editing for other photographers. The editing is an excellent way for me to have income from home while I recuperate. However, I was driven to get back to my own work. I tried to come to terms with it all and figure out my next move.

Then, I got a phone call that changed it all.

Many months ago, I had considered moving my then thriving business to a more convenient location in the Harborview section of North Suffolk. At the time, I found the most beautiful space, and the owners were willing to do all the work since it is brand new and empty. I would not have to paint, do floors, build walls, or any of the other tasks usually associated with a new space. Unfortunately, when I inquired about the area, the owner and I could not agree on financial terms, and I stuck to my already rented studio.

Here I am months later, anxious to get back to business, missing photography, but knowing there’s no way I can front the money to rebuild, and I get the call. The property owner of the Harborview space has decided to agree to my terms if I am still interested. WHAT!? It had to be a sign. How does something like this even happen at such perfect timing? Would I be ok to do this? Yes! Yes, I would. This was undoubtedly a sign.

With trepidation, and after consulting friends, family, and my go-to crew of clients and fans, I made the decision to make the jump. I’m beyond excited to announce, that on March 1, 2019, Amanda Stewart Photography will re-open for business at the new studio in HARBORVIEW!

It’s incredible that after months of what can only be called a nightmare, it looks like things are finally getting back in focus. While I may never regain my vision, I am learning to work through and recover my life and the career I love and thought I had lost.

I have learned a lot from my experience. First, laser eye surgery is NOT as safe as they claim it is. My situation is NOT as rare as they like to claim. Insurance will NOT usually have your back if you have difficulties from this surgery. Most importantly though, I learned how genuinely important a supportive community is. From friends raising funds to help me keep my business afloat, families bringing meals and helping my husband and children while I was too ill to do anything, to photographers from all around the world volunteering to edit the massive amount of photos I had on my agenda, I thank you all.

Connect with Amanda Stewart through the contact link above or HERE.

For more information about vision loss and other complications after LASIK eye surgery, please visit the following:

www.lasikcomplications.com