Disappointment with my lasik company

[fiddle]

So I heard back from the lasik company that did my eye surgery and no they won't help me with $ for lipiflow or PROSE lenses. The e-mail said that they can't (or won't) help with any future treatments that may I seek. They sent me the exact same refund offer and waiver they offered me last year. I turned it down last year as the waiver had a silence clause in it and I wouldn't be able to share my experiences on sites like this (or ask for help as well). I felt it was hush money.
I was so disappointed but mostly with my time they wasted as I could have avoided the meeting with the owner 2 weeks ago if I knew (and they knew) what their answer was. These encounters take so much out of me emotionally (this company has never understood this aspect of lasik complications). I feel defeated and insulted by them. Not sure what I will do but maintaining a healthy outlook has to be my priority, and dealing with them does not support this for me. In this way I feel they have worn me down and won.
fiddle

[Rebecca Petris]

I'm sorry for the strain of all that process and the disappointment. But... Hold that thought, Fiddle...

They may have worn you down, but they have not won.

They LOST. They missed a great opportunity to show commitment to patient care. They missed a great opportunity to win over an unhappy patient. They missed out entirely on what ought to be every medical practitioner's commitment to ethics and compassion. They have been part of the collective loss of what is good in ophthalmology. They have lost a patient who was willing to work with them. They now have a patient who sees their failures exactly for what they are.

You've GAINED something, even amongst your losses. You've gained insight to what makes these places (well, at least this place) tick - business trumping medicine - and in doing so you're better enabled to move on and seek resources that as you say will ONLY contribute to maintaining a healthy outlook. You've walked through a rational process during what is for all of us who have been there a highly emotional time, and come out the other side making rational decisions that will support your wellbeing.

So I say, kudos. And a big thumbs-down to that clinic. They could have gained, but they chose to lose more of their integrity and to lose you.

[Hopeful2]

Hi fiddle,

I am so sorry to hear that your lasik company is not being supportive. I was told that dry eye was very rare and that if I did get it there were treatments available, like Restasis and plugs. I was never told how ineffective theses treatments can be and as such I believe my lasik company demonstrated dishonest practice. When I agreed to the procedure, I felt confident that I could trust the information being given because it was coming from a qualified and certified ophthalmologist. I had the highest regard for the integrity of our Canadian medical system. Clearly something is grossly amiss here.

I know you can't post the name of your lasik company here. I am wondering if you and I were both treated by the same company? I wonder how many other people out there were misinformed by this same company? Could you please send me a private message so that we can compare notes?

It is a shame that your lasik company will not support you. I wonder if there really are so few of us with dry eyes as they claim? Maybe there are enough of us that they would go out of business if they provided the follow up treatment that was required. Another though, maybe Health Canada can cover your costs. After all, Health Canada has approved of this laser eye treatment. . . . somebody needs to be accountable here!

Hopeful2

[fiddle]

Thank you to both of you for your kind words and support. Rebecca you have a great way of putting things in perspective it seems and that was a great way to sum up what this has been like for me. I honestly did try to work through this with my lasik company but they truly were not interested one little bit (but then they never have been). It was shocking to me in the beginning that so many of these companies are only after your money and really don't care for how it turns out in the end for you. I still get so angry with them some days and I'm over a year post surgery. Most days now I feel I can cope and I take comfort in the real medical doctors that now treat me outside of my lasik company and trust that they are not in it for the money alone. I will try to add that I have won in some way too now.
Hopeful2 I agree that these so called doctors do a disgrace to their profession. In the end all I was after accountability as the money won't bring back my sight.
Thank you again,
fiddle

[Sammy B.]

Fiddle,

What a bunch of jackasses. Look at it this way, without having signed it you are free to completely blast them whenever and wherever! And a "silence clause"? That just screams guilt in my book.

Keep the faith, especially in yourself.
Rose