The letter below was provided to LASIK Newswire for publication.
October 5, 2009
Eyecare Medical Group
Dear Drs. Holt, Serrage, Cassidy and Sterrer,
I am returning the coupons you recently mailed to me offering $500.00 off Lasik for my friends, family and colleagues. Trust me when I tell you that those who have witnessed first hand the nightmare that Dr. Holt and the staff of Eyecare Medical Group have put me through since July 14, 2006, would definitely not be interested in your services.
As to your enclosed letter, let me point out that "entrusting you" with my eye care has undoubtedly been the worst decision of my life. Certainly my vision goals were never realized as I have never been able to "see clearly without glasses or contacts".
As Dr. Holt openly acknowledges, the lack of informed consent, the lack of adequate preoperative screening and the lack of warnings about side effects that a "reasonable patient would find unacceptable" have all left me with ongoing dry eyes, tear film instability, a constant battle with blepharitis and night vision disturbances that make me afraid to drive after dark.
Unfortunately, as I was never the "excellent" candidate as Dr. Holt assured me, I have been told by multiple, more honest surgeons than my own, that an "enhancement" is too risky. Of course, that's contrary to Dr. Holt's opinion but I think you can understand why I would not heed his advice. I have only recently learned that "retreatments" are considered "off label" and not even FDA approved. Something else you really ought to tell your patients before they undergo Lasik. The reality is that I would never have had the surgery at all had I been warned of my "high risk" status. With a little care, treatment for all the underlying ocular surface disease and some concern for my well being, I might have been able to finally tolerate contact lenses, my first choice over Lasik.
And after everything I've learned about Lasik, the real risks of this procedure and the unproven, untested, misleading and totally industry biased statistics refractive surgeons, uneducated Ophthalmologists and Optometrists quote to their patients, I would not recommend it to anyone. But that's a whole separate issue. Believe me when I tell you that you will be hearing more about that in the weeks and months to come.
So to recap, my "Gift of Sight" has left me with frequently blurry vision, constantly itching eyes, light sensitivity, persistent dryness, starbursts, haloes and ghosted images uncorrectable even with glasses. A far cry from your promise to "throw away my glasses and contacts" and that "Lasik is safe and effective."
For the privilege of entrusting you with my eye care, I have spent thousands of dollars on a surgery I was never an appropriate candidate for, thousands more on eye glasses, prescription wraparound sunglasses, doctor appointments, vials and vials of eye drops, prescriptions, supplements and office visits to specialists. At some point, I will have to investigate specialty contact lenses and a specialist to fit them if I can find any I can remotely tolerate or afford.
Finally, your "gift of sight" did ultimately cost me my career as I resigned from my position. I just could no longer tolerate working in the excruciatingly dry environment, staring at a computer all day long.
So no, Dr.s Holt, Serrage, Cassidy and Sterrer, I will not be passing out your coupons to anyone; friends, family members, colleagues or even my worst enemies.
I have also enclosed a copy of the FDA's letter to all refractive surgeons dated May 22, 2009, regarding misleading advertising or misleading health related claims. Your coupon and letter violate those requirements by inferring that anyone redeeming your coupon will achieve "clear vision without glasses or contacts". The FDA requires that any representation of Lasik by statement, word or design must also include indications, limitations and risks associated with the Lasik procedure. I have filed a complaint about your mass mailing with Mr. Timothy Ulatowski, Compliance Director at the FDA/CDRH, FTC Advertisement Compliance Department, and copied the Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine.
Perhaps the BOLIM will issue you yet another Letter of Guidance.
At least one thing about your letter is factual. Your "Gift of Sight" did change my life and the way I see it. Along with the physical pain and suffering you have caused me, the worst "side effect" has been the utter destruction of my faith and trust. I believe no one and nothing anymore. Depression after Lasik complications is very, very real. But I can't afford the cost of therapy so I can only cope by trying to stop others from being harmed by surgeons like you and practices like yours, the one I mistakenly entrusted with my sight.
I have looked long and hard for an honest and ethical refractive surgeon and have not found a single one. In the end, your ethics and integrity seemingly reach only as far as your "white coat" politics and your pockets.
Natalie Messier
Ps: Dr. Holt, you stated at my last appointment with you on 9/11/06 that you "just did not understand the under-correction." I've enclosed medical literature that gives a very probable explanation as I have pointed out to you in the past. Of course, the fact that Eyecare Medical Group was using the notoriously unreliable LADARVISION might also explain it. Oh yes, I have learned many of the "dirty little secrets of Lasik".
Cc: Dr. Bruce Cassidy
Dr. Elizabeth Serrage,
Dr. Jordan Sterrer
Dr. William Holt
Mr. Clement Barry-CEO Eyecare Medical Group
Dr. Linda Morrison-Maine Eye Center
Dr. Charles Zacks-Maine Eye Center
Dr. Blaine Littlefield-Maine Optometry
Ms. Mara Pearse-Burke-American Academy of Ophthalmology
Ms. Diana Ichton-WGME-News Channel 13
Attachments: FDA Letter to Eye Care Professionals
OSN Supersite: "Visual and refractive outcomes hinge on health of ocular surface"
