Latent Hyperopia & Lasik

I am 24 and have latent hyperopia.  It appeared that my right eye was doing all the work while my left eye was a lot worse than my right eye.  When they dilated my eyes I couldn't see anything but shadows.  I was told that if my eye muscles did what they were supposed to do then that is how I would see/not see every day!  My eye doctor started talking to me about lasik eye surgery.  I stressed over and over that my main concern was my reading vision because I am in college and could not see to read my work like I needed to and that the later it got in the day, the worse my vision became.  They made me to believe that if I had lasik that my near and far vision would be corrected.  They said that I might have to have the surgery more than once because dilated, my eyes needed a lot of prescription, but undilated, my eyes couldn't take that much at once or I'd walk around with blurred vision.  They said that I would have to get the surgery in increments to build up to what I actually needed.  They also said that most people only need lasik once and then they might need reading glasses at around age 40 or older, but with my eye condition lasik might only last 5-10 years for me and then I'd have to have surgery again.  That was fine with me as long as I could see to read to get me through nursing school.  

In 2006 I had lasik.  Right after the surgery I could see 20/20 in both eyes, even my left eye which never was 20/20.  By my one week check-up I was 15/20 in both eyes.  I was ecstatic because I could see to read for hours and hours without any problems!  That didn't last long!  I had perfect vision for two months and that's it!  I still have 20/20 vision long distance but I can't see to read.  Everything is blurry.  I even got reading glasses and I can only see with them maybe 30 minutes if I'm lucky.  It is very frustrating.  According to my eye doctor it is just dry eye.  I used the drops her gave me for dry eye and OTC tears and it doesn't help!

My doctor said there wasn't anything they could do.  He said to give me reading vision they'd have to take away my long distance vision and they couldn't do the lasik they did on my again until my long distance vision got worse.

Is there any type of surgery that could help me see to read without taking away my long distance vision?  A friend told me about stereoscopic eye surgery where they make one eye nearsighted and one eye farsighted and after a few weeks your brain adjusts to the difference.  I thought that sounded like it might fit my problem but wasn't sure.  I just want to be able to see up close, to read, and small writing.  

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You need a second opinion from an experienced Eye MD that does referactive surgery. FInd one at www.aao.org

JCH IIMD