LASIK Complications

Probably you know that some patients are very pleased with the outcomes of their LASIK surgery. However, like any other medical procedure, there are some LASIK complications involved.

Given this fact, it is then very significant for you to understand the limitations as well as some possible complications of refractive surgery like LASIK surgery.

So before you consider a LASIK surgery, you should carefully weigh the LASIK complications and some advantages of LASIK surgery based on your own personal value system. And, if you have friends who have had the procedure and encouraging you to do so, simply try to avoid being influenced by them.

Here are a few of the common LASIK complications involved:

• Loss of Vision – Most patients lose lines of vision on the vision chart that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery as a result of treatment.
• May be Under Treated or Over Treated – It has been reported that only a certain percent of patients achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts, after the LASIK surgery. Well, in this case, you may need additional treatment, however additional treatment may not be possible. So, you have no choice but to have your glasses or contact lenses even after the LASIK surgery procedure. This in fact may be true even if you only needed a very weak prescription prior to the LASIK surgery. As often said, if you use reading glasses before LASIK surgery, you may still need reading glasses after the procedure.
• Development of Debilitating Visual Symptoms – Most of the LASIK patients develop halos, double vision, and glare that can seriously affect the nighttime vision. Although patients have a good vision on a vision chart, many of them see as well in situations of low contrast, like at night or in fog.
• Severe Dry Eye Syndrome – As mentioned earlier a dry eye syndrome is one of the most common LASIK complications after surgery. With this condition, you may not be able to produce enough tears to keep your eye moist and comfortable. Note that it does not only cause discomfort, but it can lessen the quality of vision perhaps due to intermittent blurring and some other symptoms. And, perhaps one big LASIK complication is that it may be permanent. In this case, you may need intensive drop therapy as well as use of plugs or other procedures.
• Long Term Data is Not Available – As you all know, LASIK surgery is a new technology. The first well-known laser was approved for LASIK eye surgery just in 1998. Thus, the long term safety as well as the effectiveness of LASIK surgery is not yet known.
• Results May Diminish With Age – This is common among farsighted patients. It is noted that if you are farsighted, the level of improved vision you experience after LASIK surgery may decrease with age. The probable cause of its occurrence is the difference of your manifest refraction from your cycloplegic refraction. Your manifest refraction is actually a vision examination with lenses before dilating drops, while your cycloplegic refraction is a vision exam with lenses after dilating drops.

I think enough is said about LASIK surgery. The most significant thing to note here is that LASIK surgery is a procedure not intended for everyone. As presented, there are certain conditions under which LASIK surgery is not recommended.

And, these conditions can be detected when you have your preoperative tests such as those mentioned above. Note also that there are rare individuals who have some eye disease or other condition which could worsen with LASIK surgery.

So, it is very necessary for you to be aware of possible LASIK complications, risks, or contraindications before considering one. Simply know what the procedure can and cannot do for you.