The Truth About Complications From Lasik Eye Surgery
Dean Caporella asked:
The risk of complications from lasik eye surgery definitely exist but in reality, they are only minimal.
Obviously, surgery is not suitable for everyone and if you are considering lasik, you are not automatically guaranteed going under the surgeon’s laser. The pre-screening period is vital in assessing your suitability as a candidate for surgery.
If you are experiencing certain problems which will place you at risk or increase your risk of becoming impaired in some form or another, then don’t be surprised if you are not approved.
Less than one per cent of patients have experienced serious complications arising from lasik eye surgery. This figure just proves that there is risk associated with any kind of operation and while it’s only slight with this procedure it’s there nevertheless and you you should be aware of it.
So what are some of the complications from lasik eye surgery you could be at risk from? Let’s take a look at just a few.
Flap Complications
Issues with the flap can make up about 5% of lasik complications. Basically, problems can arise when the flap is not properly re-shaped and could either be too thin or too thick. Ill-fitting flaps may wrinkle soo after being placed on the eye’s surface.
The good news is on most occasions, this can be corrected with follow up treatment. Can it affect your vision? Yes, but in the majority of cases, only temporarily.
Cornea Issues
Double vision can arise from issues such as bad laser correction which doesn’t center on the eye. The cornea can also react to foreign debris which is caught under the flap. Inflammation usually occurs and permanent vision loss is a risk however, this is a slight risk provided follow up treatment is conducted in quick time.
Some of the other more common complications of lasik eye surgery include dry eye along with over and under correction. The issue of regression, meaning the eye returns back to it’s former condition after a certain time, is also a possibility but this cannot really be predicted.
As with most of the complications mentioned, follow up treatment will in most cases rectify any issues and this treatment doesn’t have to be more surgery. It could simply be medication prescribed by your doctor.
You will place yourself at great risk if you are initially rejected as a lasik candidate and then attempt to get the procedure performed elsewhere. Sure, get a second opinion but a quality and responsible eye surgery center will not want to perform treatment on your eyes if it means putting you at risk.
The risk of complications from lasik eye surgery definitely exist but in reality, they are only minimal.
Obviously, surgery is not suitable for everyone and if you are considering lasik, you are not automatically guaranteed going under the surgeon’s laser. The pre-screening period is vital in assessing your suitability as a candidate for surgery.
If you are experiencing certain problems which will place you at risk or increase your risk of becoming impaired in some form or another, then don’t be surprised if you are not approved.
Less than one per cent of patients have experienced serious complications arising from lasik eye surgery. This figure just proves that there is risk associated with any kind of operation and while it’s only slight with this procedure it’s there nevertheless and you you should be aware of it.
So what are some of the complications from lasik eye surgery you could be at risk from? Let’s take a look at just a few.
Flap Complications
Issues with the flap can make up about 5% of lasik complications. Basically, problems can arise when the flap is not properly re-shaped and could either be too thin or too thick. Ill-fitting flaps may wrinkle soo after being placed on the eye’s surface.
The good news is on most occasions, this can be corrected with follow up treatment. Can it affect your vision? Yes, but in the majority of cases, only temporarily.
Cornea Issues
Double vision can arise from issues such as bad laser correction which doesn’t center on the eye. The cornea can also react to foreign debris which is caught under the flap. Inflammation usually occurs and permanent vision loss is a risk however, this is a slight risk provided follow up treatment is conducted in quick time.
Some of the other more common complications of lasik eye surgery include dry eye along with over and under correction. The issue of regression, meaning the eye returns back to it’s former condition after a certain time, is also a possibility but this cannot really be predicted.
As with most of the complications mentioned, follow up treatment will in most cases rectify any issues and this treatment doesn’t have to be more surgery. It could simply be medication prescribed by your doctor.
You will place yourself at great risk if you are initially rejected as a lasik candidate and then attempt to get the procedure performed elsewhere. Sure, get a second opinion but a quality and responsible eye surgery center will not want to perform treatment on your eyes if it means putting you at risk.
Lasik Eye Surgery Risks Include Loss of Vision
July 29, 2009 by admin
Filed under Non Fiction
anonymous asked:
Most often, patients of lasik eye surgery are pleased with the results of the refractive surgery but they should be aware that it does involve certain risks and that is why it becomes necessary for them to understand the various types of lasik surgery risks.
This would involve studying and understanding the possible risks which may include losing vision, developing a debilitating visual symptom, under-correction or over-correction or developing severe dry eye symptoms. Some patients have disappointing results and refractive errors that may occur, farsighted patients may see results diminish with age, and also there is not enough long term data available to ensure long-term safety and effectiveness of lasik surgery.
Device Malfunction, Flap Migration, Inflammations and Infections
In addition, there are other lasik eye surgery risks such as malfunction of devices used in the procedure, migration of the flap, and inflammation or infection developing. There are instances when a patient loses lines of vision on the vision chart that may not be able to be treated by glasses, contact lenses or surgery and this is a grave lasik surgery risk.
There may also be lasik eye surgery risks such as the patient developing glares, halos and/or double vision that may seriously hinder nighttime vision and the patient may not be able to see well in low contrast situations. The numbers of patients who achieve 20/20 vision as a result of lasik surgery are few and so may need additional treatment though such additional treatment may not always be possible. This is another lasik surgery risk.
There is also considerable lasik eye surgery risk in that the patient may not be able to produce enough tears so that the eye remains clean as well as moist and comfortable. There is considerable discomfort caused by dry eyes and it may reduce the quality of vision because of intermittent blurring as well as other symptoms of vision. Such a condition may sometimes become permanent and may require intensive drop therapy as well as using plugs or some other procedures for treatment and is certainly another serious lasik surgery risk.
The patient would be well advised to discuss with the doctor their expectations and be prepared that sometimes the results would not match high expectations. In case of farsighted people, the amount by which the vision can be improved as a result of having lasik eye surgery would decrease as one grows older and this may be another lasik surgery risk. Also, there is not enough long term data to help the medical professionals glean more knowledge about this relatively new technology and so the long-term safety and effectiveness of lasik eye surgery is not really known.
Most often, patients of lasik eye surgery are pleased with the results of the refractive surgery but they should be aware that it does involve certain risks and that is why it becomes necessary for them to understand the various types of lasik surgery risks.
This would involve studying and understanding the possible risks which may include losing vision, developing a debilitating visual symptom, under-correction or over-correction or developing severe dry eye symptoms. Some patients have disappointing results and refractive errors that may occur, farsighted patients may see results diminish with age, and also there is not enough long term data available to ensure long-term safety and effectiveness of lasik surgery.
Device Malfunction, Flap Migration, Inflammations and Infections
In addition, there are other lasik eye surgery risks such as malfunction of devices used in the procedure, migration of the flap, and inflammation or infection developing. There are instances when a patient loses lines of vision on the vision chart that may not be able to be treated by glasses, contact lenses or surgery and this is a grave lasik surgery risk.
There may also be lasik eye surgery risks such as the patient developing glares, halos and/or double vision that may seriously hinder nighttime vision and the patient may not be able to see well in low contrast situations. The numbers of patients who achieve 20/20 vision as a result of lasik surgery are few and so may need additional treatment though such additional treatment may not always be possible. This is another lasik surgery risk.
There is also considerable lasik eye surgery risk in that the patient may not be able to produce enough tears so that the eye remains clean as well as moist and comfortable. There is considerable discomfort caused by dry eyes and it may reduce the quality of vision because of intermittent blurring as well as other symptoms of vision. Such a condition may sometimes become permanent and may require intensive drop therapy as well as using plugs or some other procedures for treatment and is certainly another serious lasik surgery risk.
The patient would be well advised to discuss with the doctor their expectations and be prepared that sometimes the results would not match high expectations. In case of farsighted people, the amount by which the vision can be improved as a result of having lasik eye surgery would decrease as one grows older and this may be another lasik surgery risk. Also, there is not enough long term data to help the medical professionals glean more knowledge about this relatively new technology and so the long-term safety and effectiveness of lasik eye surgery is not really known.
What Complications You Can Face After A Lasik Eye Surgery
July 8, 2009 by admin
Filed under Non Fiction
John Porter asked:
Lasik eye surgery has gained tremendous popularity since the time it was introduced in the last decade. The main reasons for this has been its efficacy and the realtivly high rate of success compared to most other operations. But at the end of the day it is a question of your eyes and it is always better to be properly educated about the operation and the kind of complications you might face.
It is generally your optometrist who will first provide you with the details of the operation. In this article we just provide you an overview.
This eye surgery is used to cure three main types of eye conditions-myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Myopia, also know as nearsightedness is the problem of not being able to see what is far away without glasses. Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is the other way round. Astigmatism is something different where the patient has irregularities in his cornea which as a result distorts the image formed on the retina of the eye. The complications that one can face after surgery are discussed below.
The capacity to distinguish an item from its neighboring backdrop is a problem of contrast sensitivity. The reduction in contrast sensitivity is a comparatively common occurrence after LASIK surgery, particularly in patients with high amounts of myopia.
The occurrence of a second, generally fainter, image of an object next to the original object, creating an indistinct vision is what double vision or ghosting is. This problem is generally an effect of irregular astigmatism brought on by surgery. Like several other lasik-related vision problems, double vision often goes away over a period of time.
Then there is the problem of halos where one can see halos around lights. It must be noted that corneal swelling after this operation can cause halos for the first few weeks. In fact it is quite normal. However, if you think that the halo has persisted over a normal period of time, then it might be necessary for you to go for treatment again.
Another eye surgery related complication, starbursts cause a person to see lights as blurred. Often spikes or rays of light seem to radiate out of the center of the light source. Generally it affects night time vision, but in some cases, it might be a problem for all light sources at any time of the day.
Lasik has become a wildly popular surgery and while it does have some risks and occasional complications, it usually results in greatly improved vision for many people. To have the best chance for a successful recovery be aware of the restrictions after eye surgery. Here are the most important:
Prior to your lasik procedure, your eye care professional will have already performed an in-depth eye exam. In addition to an eye exam, you doctor needs a thorough health history to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.
Many factors can make or break your eye surgery. To have the expected outcome, you must be a good candidate, you should follow all pre-operative instructions and you should always follow the post-operative instructions.
When you are ready for your operation procedure, your doctor will discuss several things to look for after surgery. He or she will also give you detailed post-operative instructions. Some of these restrictions may include not driving or working for several days, going to your check up appointments when scheduled, avoiding make up or touching the eye and refraining from physical activity.
Lasik eye surgery has gained tremendous popularity since the time it was introduced in the last decade. The main reasons for this has been its efficacy and the realtivly high rate of success compared to most other operations. But at the end of the day it is a question of your eyes and it is always better to be properly educated about the operation and the kind of complications you might face.
It is generally your optometrist who will first provide you with the details of the operation. In this article we just provide you an overview.
This eye surgery is used to cure three main types of eye conditions-myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Myopia, also know as nearsightedness is the problem of not being able to see what is far away without glasses. Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is the other way round. Astigmatism is something different where the patient has irregularities in his cornea which as a result distorts the image formed on the retina of the eye. The complications that one can face after surgery are discussed below.
The capacity to distinguish an item from its neighboring backdrop is a problem of contrast sensitivity. The reduction in contrast sensitivity is a comparatively common occurrence after LASIK surgery, particularly in patients with high amounts of myopia.
The occurrence of a second, generally fainter, image of an object next to the original object, creating an indistinct vision is what double vision or ghosting is. This problem is generally an effect of irregular astigmatism brought on by surgery. Like several other lasik-related vision problems, double vision often goes away over a period of time.
Then there is the problem of halos where one can see halos around lights. It must be noted that corneal swelling after this operation can cause halos for the first few weeks. In fact it is quite normal. However, if you think that the halo has persisted over a normal period of time, then it might be necessary for you to go for treatment again.
Another eye surgery related complication, starbursts cause a person to see lights as blurred. Often spikes or rays of light seem to radiate out of the center of the light source. Generally it affects night time vision, but in some cases, it might be a problem for all light sources at any time of the day.
Lasik has become a wildly popular surgery and while it does have some risks and occasional complications, it usually results in greatly improved vision for many people. To have the best chance for a successful recovery be aware of the restrictions after eye surgery. Here are the most important:
Prior to your lasik procedure, your eye care professional will have already performed an in-depth eye exam. In addition to an eye exam, you doctor needs a thorough health history to determine whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.
Many factors can make or break your eye surgery. To have the expected outcome, you must be a good candidate, you should follow all pre-operative instructions and you should always follow the post-operative instructions.
When you are ready for your operation procedure, your doctor will discuss several things to look for after surgery. He or she will also give you detailed post-operative instructions. Some of these restrictions may include not driving or working for several days, going to your check up appointments when scheduled, avoiding make up or touching the eye and refraining from physical activity.
