Like all surgeries, laser eye surgery too has its own risks. No surgery is ever ‘risk free’. Certain complications arise, and in some cases, people suffer certain conditions after laser eye surgery. If you are contemplating laser eye surgery, you are well advised to know the risks involved:
Improper focusing of light
Laser eye surgery is centered on the pupil and any de-centered incision will result in improper focusing of light. Many lasers have an eye-tracking beam to reduce any possibility of de-centered ablation.
Accelerating cataract clouding
Although a natural occurrence brought on by age, cataract – the clouding of the crystalline lens – can be brought on faster by the invasive laser eye surgery.
Under correction due to room temperature
Temperature and humidity of the laser room, hydration of the cornea during surgery and calibration of laser could result in under-correction. This would require additional laser treatment after three months to allow the results to stabilize. Though rare, over-correction can change a myopic condition to a hyperopic condition. This too can be corrected with a further surgery.
Astigmatism
Some times surgery can cause Astigmatism. Although the reasons are not known, the alignment of the patient’s eye and uniformity of the laser beam could be the reasons. This can be corrected by glasses or gas permeable contact lenses.
Loss of visual acuity
There could be loss of visual acuity. Assume that a pre-operative vision of 20/400 without glasses and contact lenses, and a 20/20 vision with them, improves after laser surgery to 20/30 without glasses and contact lenses, and 20/20 vision with thinner glasses and contact lenses. You would have lost visual acuity if the 20/30 post surgery vision cannot be improved even with glasses and contact lenses. This may happen in 5% of the low to medium Myopia patients.
Corneal haze condition
You could develop a corneal haze, a ground-glass like appearance, after laser eye surgery. A minor haze could be taken care with anti-inflammatory eye drops. A more dense haze may require re-surgery.
Decrease in night time vision
You may experience a decrease in night time vision, halos and star bursts etc. There may be reduced brightness and glare. In very rare cases, there is always a possibility of blindness and a probable sight-threatening infection, endophthalmitis.
Laser eye surgery is normally safe, but there is always a risk of post-operative infections. Normally, these do not have long term complications, and are usually treated with eye drops. If undecided about the risks of laser eye surgery, discuss the pros and cons with your ophthalmologist.
One of the biggest benefits with laser eye surgery reviews is to determine just when Lasik may not be suitable for you. Lasik has been a wonderful innovation yes, but did you know everyone who thinks they need it may not be eligible for varying reasons. Pre-operation tests will normally discount you as a candidate if there is a chance you’ll suffer serious implications if you go ahead with the procedure.
This article is intended for those in the “thinking stages” regarding Lasik. We’ll give you some possible reasons why you may not be a good fit. As far as laser eye surgery reviews, this one will definitely not be sugar-coated.
When Lasik May Not Suit You
1. If you have serious problems or are considered too much of a risk then you will not qualify. A Lasik surgeon won’t jeopardize your health or their livelihood by taking unnecessary risks. If they do, then run a mile.
2. Refractive procedures are frowned upon in some professions. It’s just a fact of life. Some professions have strict rules about refractive surgery so it may just pay to check with your employer if Lasik will affect your position with your company.
3. If you have had one or more prescription changes to your eyewear during a 12 month period then you could be considered a risk for Lasik eye surgery. Why? Changes in prescription generally indicates a little instability which could be viewed as a worrying sign for surgeons.
4. Your age will determine whether you’re eligible for Lasik. If you’re less than 18 then you won’t be considered. Some surgeons may not even consider you if you’re in your early twenties however, don’t dismiss the possibility until you’ve spoken with them.
5. If you suffer from any medical conditions or are taking medications then this could prevent you from qualifying for Lasik. Any worthwhile laser eye surgery reviews should clearly state this as many patients have had to forfeit their procedures because of this. Don’t hold anything back during the consultation stage because the more your surgeon knows about you the better chance you have of experiencing a successful outcome.
In order to truly comprehend the effect of laser eye surgery, we must first consider the vision anomalies that it treats. It is a general belief that common refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, are attributable to certain irregularities in the shape of the cornea. Due to such anomalies, light rays entering the eye don’t fall exactly on the retina (a layer of light sensing cells) thereby resulting in unclear vision. LASIK is a surgical procedure that aims to rectify these irregularities by reshaping the cornea.
LASIK restores visual acuity through precise ablation of the corneal tissue with the aid of a high precision laser, an excimer laser, which is a “cool” laser that precisely carves the cornea without heating or damaging the surrounding tissue. Once reshaped, the cornea enables the desired accurate refraction, since the light rays now fall precisely on the retina.
Laser eye surgery imparts enhanced visual acuity, without the need for corrective lenses. With the superlative technology at its disposal, laser eye surgery provides excellent results that are rather impressive. An estimated 98% of patients are within 1 diopter of their refractive error following surgery, possessing unaided visual acuity of 6/12 or better. Over half of the patients achieve unaided visual acuity of 6/6, which is the standard visual acuity. However, visual acuity may sometimes be worthless if vision quality is sacrificed in process. Though rare, laser eye surgery complications like halos, glare and double vision may cause vision quality deterioration, rendering blurry vision.
The complications, if any, may be a source of discomfort. The use of prescription eye drops and artificial tear drops helps in soothing the eyes thereby averting the irritable feeling in the eyes that creeps up after surgery. These side effects are known to subside within a few months and the refraction stabilizes within 3 to 6 months following surgery.
Nevertheless, LASIK is a viable, safe and efficacious procedure. Its effects are permanent on the eyes. That is, the refraction attained lasts forever unless otherwise altered due to age related eye ailments, such as presbyopia, which is known to affect almost every individual in their mid to late 40s.
If you find a LASIK surgery that you are confident with, you will be able to get more information about the effects of LASIK laser eye surgery.
LASIK Plus is a national chain that specializes in performing the LASIK surgeries, and is similar to that of LensCrafters or Pearle Vision; the quality of care that you receive at LASIK Plus is generally comparable to what you would expect from a national chain, and overall it is a decent and affordable option for those interested in the LASIK surgery.
In general, the average price of a LASIK procedure at this center is similar to that offered by traditional and private doctors, with the average price being $1500 to $1800 per eye. LASIK Plus is a large company, and it now accounts for about 15% of all LASIK surgeries in the US.
Many who choose LASIK Plus are generally satisfied with their procedure, surgeon, and results, but the choice ultimately is in the hands of each individual patient. If the patient is leaning towards having his LASIK surgery at a LASIK Plus center, the following are a list of the additional advantages which LASIK Plus offers that are not found in private doctors or medical centers:
1. Completely free consultation and comprehensive eye exam to determine whether or not you are a candidate for LASIK – this actually is a significant advantage offered by LASIK Plus, as these tests are actually 100% free, regardless of whether or not you actually elect to have to procedure completed. The eye exam is also quite thorough as well, and consists of corneal thickness and topography measurements, wavefront measurements, multiple pupil measurements, a complete ocular exam, including pupil dilation, and a number of refraction tests. The prospective patient’s ocular and medical history are taken as well.
2. Surgeons who perform only LASIK surgeries – the surgeons who work at LASIK Pus centers specialize only in these surgeries; they do not perform any other surgeries nor treat any other eye conditions. This specialization allows them to have time to learn the latest techniques in LASIK surgery, and the most recent technologies for this procedure. However, this does not in any way reflect the skill level of the surgeon himself, and one should not choose a surgeon solely on this fact; the surgeon’s success rate and overall number of surgeries is what should be considered instead.
3. All LASIK Plus centers have up to date and advanced technologies and equipment, since they are part of a national chain and as such can more easily afford the latest technology. By contrast, private physicians must finance and purchase their own equipment themselves, and must already be reasonably successful in order to be able to do so. LASIK Plus is able to keep their overall prices down due to being a national chain, while at the same time helping to ensure that the patient has a higher chance of receiving a successful surgery due to more advanced technology and equipment.
4. Financing options available directly onsite – the LASIK Plus chain offers financing options directly through a financing company called CareCredit, and prevents you from having to go through the hassle of searching for a financing company on your own. LASIK Plus also works extensively with FSAs (flexible spending accounts) and health spending accounts as well.
5. Discount through your regular vision insurance coverage – LASIK plus offers a 15% discount with your regular vision plan.
Often times called ophthalmic surgery, eye surgery, is a surgical procedure that is preformed on the eye or eye region. This type of surgery, due to it’s nature, is typically performed by an ophthalmatolgist; hence the original name ophthalmic surgery.
There is several different types of eye surgery. The most common are described below:
PRK (PhotoRefractive Keratectomy)
PRK surgery is when the most oustide layer of the cornea is scraped away manually and an excimer laser is used to reshape the tissues located underneath the surface of the cornea. After the corrective eye surgery is done the outer layer must be grown back, in order for the eye to be protected again. Due to this, PRK is known for having a large recovery time. There as some advanced methods avaiable today that use a different excimer laser which vaporizes the epthithelium, however it is not widely used.
LASEK (Laser Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratomileusis)
LASEK is advanced form of PRK(see below) that uses an alcholic solution on the epithelium which softens the surface before it is removed. With this procedure the epithelium can be replaces once the surgery is finished.
Epi-LASEK
Epi-LASEK is similar to LASEK however it uses a type of barrier to preserve the epithelium layer, which is then replaced after the surgery. The reason for this extra step is to try and help cut down post surgery discomfort, and increase the amount of time required for healing.
As you can see their is several different methods of laser eye surgery; These aren’t even all of them! If you think that eye surgery might be right for you, or are interested in obtaining more information it is recommended to consult with your local physician and eye doctor.
Lasik’s is the term that is commonly referred to when most consumers are talking about laser eye surgery. The main reason for this procedure is to reduce a person’s need for either glasses or contacts to improve their vision.
The name LASIK is derived from a laser eye procedure named Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. The procedure consists of the use of an excimer laser that permanently reshapes the covering of the eye so a focused vision is obtained. There are two different types of blades that are used to cut the flap so the inner cornea can be reshaped. The mechanical blade is called a microkeratome and the laser is a keratome.
There have been five instruments that have been approved by the FDA since the year 2000. The latest is the MEL 80 Excimer Laser System by Carl Zeiss Inc was approved on August 11, 2006. This uses a laser that cuts at the wavelength of 193 nanometers.
The LASIK Eye Drape was developed by Odyssey Medical Inc and received approval on May 10, 2005. This was a new style of drape that is used to help protect not only the patient but also the surgeon.
Alcon Laboratories Inc had two approvals for their Wavelight Allegretto Wave Excimer Laser System on October 7th and 10, of 2003. The first one was for the system and the second was for the ophthalmic medical laser system that cuts at 193 nanometers.
Technolas GMBH Perfect Vision was approved for their Technolas 217A Excimer Laser System on February 23, 2000. This excimer laser is a class 3 medical device.
These are the latest FDA approved for the many Laski’s surgeries that are preformed around the United States. Check with your surgeon to see what he is using.