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Hi All, Just came across this link and thought maybe I should post it, it's about lasik and how it's affected people and giving them dry eyes. Maybe since there doing research on why maybe this can help our case. Just thought I'd post. Take care http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/04/25/fda_takes_closer_look_at_lasik_complaints/

I wish ENT procedures received the same srutiny and attention. This procedure severly harms 1% of recipients (although we all know from our experiences not to trust these % figures quoted). Im sure ENS and other negative associated side affects of ENT surgery affect more than 1% - how come it is not getting attention?

I absolutely feel that we are in a similar position as Lasik, except that even with Lasik, they tell you ahead about the small possibilities of side effects. With nasal surgery, you get no warning whatsoever of ENS happening.

I think the You Tube campaign is great. We should all try to do media outreach, if it is possible to get this story to smaller news outlets. You can contact whatever media source you know, and back up the story by sending info about the You Tube campaign, Chris' book and this website. For media, this issue might reach a bigger audience under the general umbrella of ENS as a risk for anyone thinking about surgery for their allergies, snoring, sleep disorders, or sinusitis. Turbinate surgery is fine when done safely and conservatively and in concert with other necessary treatments - allergy tests and medicine, homeopathic treatment like irrigation, humidifying, and steam, etc. Also, I had safe procedures done but doctors did not worry that I had already had this procedure done before, and recommended revision and maintenance procedures each time I went in. That is just as bad as one bad overaggressive surgery! They need to be educated.

I wonder if lasik victims have a similar forum to this? Wonder what the condition is called - Dry Eye Syndrome(DES)? Empty Eye Syndrome...?

ha! we should all band together and party. but they were actually warned...lucky stiffs. Besides dry eyes, lasik recipients can get starbursts and halos and weird weird stuff. I will NEVER get surgery again unless I know all the repercussions and am willing to risk some unknowns - never for something like vision correction or vanity.

For those who are curious if there is a similar forum for Lasik sufferers, here is one: www.lasikdisaster.com There is also another older one somewhere but it's hard to find. This is my first and last post. I do not have ENS and so I will stay out of your way. I found this forum a long time ago when trying to research why my ENT refused to trim my turbs to help my non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis (uncomfortable when I lay down; now resolved with Astelin.) Oh how I learned! Anyway, I'm the one who tipped off Canada110 to this Lasik article and decided to just log on myself to add the extra link. I thought it was important to perhaps give you all some ideas of how to bring this more to the forefront, considering Lasik complications (which are suprisingly similar in nature to ENS) are getting such publicity lately. Anyway, again, I'm sorry to take up space here as a "non sufferer" but I hope these links can help, or at least provide some emotional support (you're not alone!) in some way. Good luck and good bye. Jordy

here is another lasik article from the ap today: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Lasik-Surgery.html?_r=1&oref=slogin#

great first person lasik article by abby ellin in nytimes from recently. maybe I can send the nytimes info on ENS and see what happens. I don't know if the fda has any connection to what happens with Turbinate Surgery...seems like the lasik people have protested to the fda. any ideas about that? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/fashion/13SKIN.html?ex=1366776000&en=ed771903b0a33a00&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

This is very interesting. I remembered wondering when this laser eye surgery started, and when it was proclaimed as such a "revelation", what the long-term outcomes were going to be. We have been moaning for years to the ENT's and bodies like the American (or other) Rhinologic Society and for years these pleas have been falling on deaf ears. It seems the lasik people have done the correct thing by going to a bigger and more powerful (and probably unbiased) body like the fda.

Do surgeries and doctor's procedures fall under the regulation of the FDA? I wish I knew who to report to, government-wise. Dept. Of Health, Surgeon General, FDA? I'll have to read up on what the lasik people did. Great idea for thinking of that.

What products does FDA regulate? Consumers can play an important public health role by reporting to FDA any adverse reactions or other problems with products the agency regulates. FDA is responsible for ensuring that foods are safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled. It also oversees medicines, medical devices (from bandages to artificial hearts), blood products, vaccines, cosmetics, veterinary drugs, animal feed, and electronic products that emit radiation (such as microwave ovens and video monitors), ensuring that these products are safe and effective.

Erika, Forgive me if you have already posted these links, but this is interesting reading ... : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042502238.html?hpid=sec-health FDA Panel Urges Stronger Warnings for LASIK Surgery ... But of the 7.6 million people who have undergone the procedure in the United States since the mid-1990s, 140 have written letters of complaint to the FDA. Now the FDA has followed up on those complaints. Friday's hearing was part of a larger review to see if new warnings about LASIK surgery are needed to alert consumers to the possibility of eye pain, dry eyes, blurred or double vision, and other problems.

I figured out that turb surgery is not regulated by FDA but officially by state boards. Lasik is only done by laser so somehow that is seen as a medical device or product and so is reg. by FDA. We'd either have to go state by state to our med. boards, or bring this up to Congress/ Dept. Of Health and Human Service or Surgeon General.

Laser surgery is still used for some types of turbinate reduction surgery (and these are often the culprit surgeries). I think if the FDA could issue any type of warning about the risks of turbinate surgery that would be good. At the moment there are still too many people that are ignorant or totally unaware of the risks of this surgery (whether they be patients, ENT doctors or the general public). Think about the time you went for your first surgery. Was there any indication of the risk? Or any heads-up at all of what was to follow?