Laser Eye Surgery: What Are The Potential Side Effects?

With the ever-growing popularity of laser eye surgery and the continual advancements in the procedures and technology, the primary concern of many people considering the surgery is this: what are the potential side effects?

The good news is that both PRK (photorefractive keratectomy laser eye surgery designed to correct mild myopia and astigmatism) and Lasik procedures involve few risks. In fact, serious vision-threatening complications are minimal. However, as with any form of surgery, there can be potential side effects. Here are the most common side effects that can result from laser eye surgery:

Infection And Delayed Healing

Approximately one-tenth of one percent of all patients suffer from a corneal infection after undergoing PRK. Slightly fewer face an infection after Lasik. A cornea infection will not result in any long-term effects, however there generally is some additional discomfort and the healing process is slower.

Under Correction/Overcorrection

Even though tremendous advances have been made in laser eye surgery, a surgeon cannot predict precisely how your eyes will respond to the procedure. In some cases, you might need to continue to wear corrective lenses after surgery. If the results are particularly unsatisfactory, you do have the option to undergo a second surgical procedure to improve your vision.

Decrease In Best-Corrected Vision

After laser eye surgery, a few patients find that their best-corrected vision with contact lenses is actually worse than it was before the surgery. This is a rare occurrence, but can occur if there's been irregular tissue removal or if a corneal haze has developed.

Excessive Corneal Haze

Corneal haze is not unusual. In fact, it's part of the normal recovery process after refractive surgery. Generally, it won't affect your final vision, and will only be evident to an ophthalmologist using a microscope. However, in some cases, excessive corneal haze does interfere with your final vision. In such a case, it can often be corrected with a second surgery. Also worth noting, the risk of encountering excessive corneal haze is much lower with Lasik eye surgery than with PRK.

Regression

Regression is exactly as it sounds: for some patients, after a period of several they find their vision returning to its pre-surgery state. In other words, they find the surgery to be ineffective. A second surgical procedure is usually possible in such cases.

Halo Effect

The halo effect will generally go unnoticed except in situations where the light is dim. As the name implies, a second faded image is seen as the pupil enlarges. This image is produced by the untreated peripheral cornea. The danger here is that the halo effect can often interfere with your night driving.

Flap Damage or Loss

In some Lasik cases, instead of creating a hinged flap on the center of the cornea, the entire flap comes off. This can usually be replaced after the laser treatment. However, in some cases, the flap may be damaged or lost.

Distorted Flap

Also in reference to the Lasik procedure, if the healing of the corneal flap is irregular, then the shape of the cornea can become distorted. This will often result in your best-corrected vision being disappointing.

Other Side Effects of Laser Eye Surgery

Even when both the procedure and the healing process seem to go perfectly, there are some side effects that may still cause dissatisfaction. Older patients, for example, cannot have both distance and near vision in the same eye without wearing glasses or contact lenses. Patients suffering from myopia but who could still read without glasses may no longer be able to read without glasses after surgery. And finally, if both eyes are not treated at the same time, the eyes might work awkwardly together between the time of the first surgery and the second surgery.

Steps To Ensure Safe Laser Eye Surgery

In the modern world, laser eye surgery is one of most widely performed procedures every year. Since it was first performed in the United States in 1991, more and more people looking to rid themselves of expensive and inconvenient eyeglasses and contact lenses, have turned to corrective eye surgery to achieve their goals.

Today, more than one million people in the U.S. alone have undergone the procedure - most with no complications and amazing success. In fact, only 3-6% of those who have undergone the procedure have reported any long term complications associated with it, making safe laser eye surgery what most people have come to expect. But in order to really ensure your safety when it comes to laser eye surgery it is imperative to act as an advocate for yourself and take the steps necessary to protect your health and your eyesight.

Laser eye surgery utilizes laser technology to resurface the cornea - the thin, transparent covering of the eye. During the procedure, the surgeon will make a small incision in the top layer of the cornea in order to create a flap. Once the flap is folded back the mid-section of the cornea is revealed and the surgeon can then use a low-powered laser to resurface the cornea - clearing the way in which light is refracted in our eye and thus improving vision.

The patient's eye is numbed the entire time during the procedure and most who have undergone laser eye surgery report little to no pain associated with the procedure. Nonetheless, there is risk associated with every surgery. And when it comes to laser technology used in and around the eye, it is absolutely imperative to ensure that you are working with skilled and reputable surgeons and a surgery center that is committed to patient care through safe laser eye surgery.

The burden of finding this information is up to you - the patient - but is well-worth the time it will take to ensure a positive experience. Begin your search for safe laser eye surgery by researching the laser eye surgery centers in and around your area. Talk to friends and family who have undergone the procedure to assess their experience; and get recommendations from your general eye doctor and even your primary care physician. Recommendations are key to narrowing your search for a reputable surgery center.

Once you have narrowed your search through recommendations it is crucial that you conduct your own research by examining each surgery center's history, surgical and patient care philosophy, reputation in the industry, and financial options that will be available to you. Follow-up this research by visiting the surgery centers yourself to assess cleanliness of the facility, professionalism of the office and medical support staff, and commitment to safe laser eye surgery through the level of technology being used.

Finally, meet with the surgeon who would perform your procedure to determine his/her experience and strategy for patient care and safety procedures. Any surgeon in which you are interested should perform laser eye surgery on a daily basis and have an overall dedication to safe laser eye surgery and successful results.

Laser Eye Surgery: 7 Tips on What to Expect

Have you ever thought about having laser eye surgery performed to correct a vision problem? If you have, what is stopping you? Do you simply want more information as to what happens during the surgery? If so, keep reading. The following information is meant to answer your questions regarding the procedure that is called laser eye surgery.

1- When you are contemplating laser eye surgery, also known as LASIK eye surgery, the first step is to speak with your eye care professional. Your doctor will be able to tell you if you are indeed a candidate. During the prescreening phase, they will go over a list of requirements such as:

* No change in eye prescriptions with in the last year
* That you have no eye diseases
* That you can sit still for an hour straight
* That you fully understand after surgery care

2- When you go to the clinic for your procedure, you will be taken to a room with a recliner. This is where you will be seated. Your eye will be numbed and the eyelid clamped open to prevent blinking.

3- The surgeon will be performing the surgery with a rather large machine. While it may look intimidating, it is necessary as it has a camera, the laser and computer attached to it. The doctor will cut a flap in the cornea with a scalpel, and then switch to the laser for the remainder of the surgery.

4- During the prescreening phase the doctor measured how much of the cornea tissue would need to be removed for the best vision to be achieved. This number was entered into the computer that is attached to the laser. The computer then controls how long the laser will be used to remove the set amount of tissue. When the correct amount has been removed from under the cornea, the laser automatically shuts off.

5- That is it. The laser eye surgery is completed. Now it is time for the recovery process to begin. Since the cornea is not sutured together after the surgery, the surgeon will place an eye patch over it. This patch will protect the cornea from being accidentally harmed.

6- Most patients return to work with in a couple of days and most normal activities with in a couple of weeks. Your recovery will, of course, depend upon you and your particular situation. However, you should expect to have better vision within a short amount of time following the surgery.

7- It is a good idea to have someone drive you to the clinic for the procedure, as you will not be able to see clearly enough to drive yourself. You may also experience light sensitivity for a short period of time.

Best Way to Go About Laser Eye Surgery

The development of laser eye surgery took place in 1990; since that time till now, a lot of positive outcomes have been recorded from the technique. Millions of people all over the world have enhanced their vision through this eye surgery option. Also known as Lasik eye surgery, the technique's high success rate has increased its popularity as an eye surgery option. Laser eye correction technique helps in improving the quality of life as well as self-esteem of individuals with visual impairment. However, you need to exercise care when choosing a surgeon for this technique.

What is Lasik Eye Surgery all About?

Also known as laser eye correction, Lasik or laser eye surgery is among the various eye surgery options available today. However, the procedure is a laser vision correction technique performed often. Simply put, the procedure involves the cutting of a flap in the top layer of the patient's eye. Subsequently, the flap is replaced systematically to finish the procedure.

Over the years, laser eye surgery technique has evolved into a more powerful technique as a result of constant improvement and sophistication of the technology in use for the procedure. As a result, more options for lasik eye surgery are now available, and better results are realized from the outcome. The integration of multiple lasik options via the sophistication of the technology in use enables the qualification of more people for the use of laser technology to correct refractive eye issue.

The newest developments and options in cataract surgery with laser eye surgery technique include;

• Wavefront technology – allowing for custom Lasik

• Intralase laser – enabling the blade-free lasik surgery

Laser Eye Surgery Cost

There is no fixed cost for lasik procedure; the cost will depend on several factors regarding the treatment. Also, other factors that play role in determining the overall cost of Lasik include the quality of the laser system as well as the equipment used, and your choice of surgeon. Again, the nature of care given to the patient, the nature of the procedure and the vision prescription are all determining factors to the cost of Lasik surgery. Even the geographical area involved would interfere in the price that will be quoted for this special eye surgery option; for instance, there are differing regional prices between California and New York.

Tips on Selecting a Laser Eye Surgeon

Choosing a Laser eye surgery expert is an essential decision that the patient need to make. The choice is not something you rush into; settling for a well-experienced and renowned Lasik expert is the best way to ensure high possibility of positive outcome of the technique.

A good way to get a suitable doctor for the technique is to allow your optician to make the recommendation for you. Also, if you know anyone who had high success rate from the technique, the person's recommendation can be trusted. Now, when choosing a laser eye surgery doctor, ensure that you are not sacrificing quality for low-cost – bear in mind that your vision – in fact your entire life is involved!

Types of Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is the most commonly practiced procedure to correct vision problems caused by refractive errors, including myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness) and astigmatism (distorted vision when looking at objects at any distance).

There are different types of laser eye surgery. LASIK - laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis – is one of the most common. Many patients who have LASIK end up with 20/20 vision. But, like all medical procedures, it has both risks and benefits. Only your eye doctor can tell if you are a good candidate for laser eye surgery.

Laser Eye Surgery for Laser Vision Correction, such as LASIK, Custom LASIK, PRK, LASEK, Epi-LASIK and other specialized LASIK Eye Surgery procedures offer those who have nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism the possibility of freedom from the hassle of eyeglasses and contact lenses. This requires that patients participate in their care by becoming educated consumers as well as patients.

During laser eye surgery, a surgeon uses a laser device to make permanent changes to the shape of the cornea. The laser used most often is the Excimer laser, which produces a beam of ultraviolet light to vaporize tissue. Surgically altering the shape of the cornea can correct mild to moderate refractive errors in most people.

Laser Eye Surgery in general, the procedure itself, LASIK surgeons and their experience and education, practice locations, understanding the costs and potential risks and complications. Also, in order to make up to date information and current thoughts about Laser Eye Surgery procedures readily available, we have included a LASIK News & Updates section that will present selected summaries of noteworthy publications, case reports and research that might be useful in your overall personal education and decision process.

Types of Laser Eye Surgery
LASIK Laser Eye Surgery

LASIK is a surgical procedure that uses a laser to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism. In LASIK, a thin flap in the cornea is created using either a microkeratome blade or a second laser. The surgeon fold backs the flap, and then removes some corneal tissue underneath using an excimer laser. The flap is then laid back in place, covering the area where the corneal tissue was removed.

LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea.

When the vast majority of patients seriously consider Laser Eye Surgery it is common to encounter a number of different personal reasons why they do not wish to proceed. Usually these reasons can be separated into two categories-fear and cost.

PRK Laser Eye Surgery

PRK is a laser eye surgery procedure that treats nearsightedness, mild to moderate farsightedness and astigmatism by flattening the center of the cornea with cool beams of ultraviolet light. Based on the patient’s individual refraction, the computer generates an accommodating amount of laser light to remove a calculated amount of corneal tissue.

The laser eye surgeon uses an excimer laser to remove tissue from the surface of the cornea, allowing the cornea to focus light correctly. For nearsighted people, the doctor will perform PRK to flatten the too-steep cornea. For farsighted people, the doctor will use the laser to create a steeper cornea. Following PRK, vision begins to improve around three days following the treatment and steadily improves.

The Truth Behind Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery is a fairly common procedure in the UK, with about 100,000 people in Britain opting for the surgery each year. However, many people are unfamiliar with laser eye surgery, often assuming that it’s a major surgical procedure or one that poses high risks. In actuality, laser eye surgery entails a simple process with low risk levels. In fact, there have been very few reports of patients experiencing complications during laser eye surgery. If you’re considering laser eye surgery, it’s important to familiarise yourself with the basic facts before opting for the procedure.

One of the most common misconceptions behind laser eye surgery – apart from its general intricacy and risk levels – is that it’s a painful procedure. However, the patient’s eyes are numbed with a heavy local anaesthetic, meaning no pain is felt. At most, some patients will experience some discomfort in the days following laser eye surgery. Even this will subside within a few days.

Many people also assume laser eye surgery is for younger individuals. While eye surgery could be easier to perform on younger patients, older individuals are not disqualified. In fact, many laser eye surgeons treat patients between the ages of 18 and 70.

Another common concern among potential surgery candidates is whether the results of the procedure will last. The answer is that the effects of a laser treatment are permanent; however, your eyes may change over time, which could in turn alter your vision. For this reason, most surgeons recommend having laser eye surgery done after major eye changes have occurred in life – usually after the age of 18. If your post-surgery eyes do change over time, you can usually undergo an enhancement procedure.

Finally, many people assume that laser eye surgery is very costly – after all, it’s a surgical procedure. However, laser eye surgery has become increasingly affordable over the years, and it’s now possible to have the procedure done without breaking the bank. Many surgeons also offer payment plans, making it even simpler to obtain the procedure. Once your suitability for laser eye surgery is determined, you should discuss payment options with your surgeon.

Of course, the only way to confirm your suitability for laser eye surgery is through an eye exam with a certified eye surgeon. By undergoing an exam, a surgeon can also determine the type of laser eye surgery that’s right for you, as well as the results that you can expect. So, while it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the facts behind laser eye surgery, the next step entails consulting with a certified laser eye surgeon.

What Is Laser Eye Surgery And Can It Give Me A Better Vision?

The development of computer technology the recent years has had a huge impact on the medical science. Today this technology is used in every aspect of medical field. This is also true when it comes to eye surgery. Nowadays, there are many types of surgery available to correct a persons vision problems. Laser eye surgery is one of the most advanced, and is used especially for the correction of problems like myopia (near sightedness), hyperopia (far sightedness), and astigmatism (distorted vision).

Why is the reason such problems occur in the first place? The main cause of such problems is problems with focusing the image on the retina of the eye and the reason for that varies upon three different factors:

the distance from the back of the eye to the front of it,

the shape of the cornea which is the curved clear front surface of the human eye above the iris and the pupil. It provides approximately two thirds of the eye's ability to focus.

the shape of the lens.

The shape of the cornea is changed using special devices during a laser eye surgery. One such device is called excimer laser. What this procedure does is producing a laser beam that vaporizes tissue around the eye. It actually removes targeted areas of the eye tissue without harming the surrounding area. Therefore It also goes under the name if "cold" laser.

Laser Surgery Procedures

The most common types of laser surgery procedures are

PRK (Photo-Refractive Keractomy), available since early nineties and

LASIK Eye Surgery (Laser Assisted in situ Keratomileusis), first introduced in mid nineties.

The PRK procedure take small amounts of eye tissue on the surface of the eye and vaporizes it using a beam of light in this type of surgery. This procedure removes enough tissue to reshape the cornea and correct vision. The recovery takes a week or less.

The LASIK surgery procedure involves a series of steps that are considered complicated.

Step one is to cut a flap of the cornea and lifted.

Step two: the surgeon removes precise amounts of the inside layers of the cornea using a laser guided by a computer.

Step three: the surgeon puts the flap back in its place and the eye heals fast by itself.

What are the benefits and the risks?

Highly skilled and well prepared medical specialists perform the Laser eye surgery. For majority of the patients, the results are very good and their lives are significantly improved. They can throw away their glasses or contact lenses after a successful surgery.

Keep in mind the importance of having realistic expectations about laser eye surgery. In some cases it might be necessary to wear glasses for reading if the patient is over 40 years of age. The eyes continue to change after the surgery and you may have to wear prescription glasses or lenses at some point in your life. A second laser eye surgery is normally not ruled out if the first one is not entirely successful.

One side effect of PRK laser eye surgery, is that the patient may have a blurry vision throughout the healing process. Fortunately, this generally clears up later.

Regression is another side effect from such surgery. What happens is that the eye returns back to its' previous condition. This might happen within six months and if it happens you might need another surgery to correct it or you have to wear glasses or contact lenses.

The negative side effects are very less in a LASIK surgery. Even the healing of the eye is faster. Since a LASIK involves cutting of some tissues of the eye the complications and risks are a bit higher than the other eye surgery procedures we have mentioned.

Understanding Laser Eye Surgery

For many centuries, people have corrected their eyesight using glasses, and later on, contact lenses. For a long time, it was believed that this was the most excellent technology. Albeit it was a trouble for most people, it was something they did, and still doing everyday.

Nevertheless, with the advent in new technologies and new treatments, we are able to fix out eyesight problem with corrective laser eye surgery. This is a way to correct your eyesight, without the need of external objects such as glasses or contacts.

There has been much discussion today about what exactly is eye laser surgery. It has turn into something that many people assert to know about, and many people try to have done for themselves. However, it is a surgical process, so there are some things that you should be familiar with about eye laser surgery before you make a decision if its right for you.

The foundation behind laser eye surgery is just as it sounds. Lasers are used to correct the parts of your eyes that do not work, and in this way, your eyesight becomes clearer and much improved. The level of operation you are going to go through depends on how poor your eyesight is and what type of problems you have to cause your eyesight to worsen. You are going to see different results in how much better your eyesight will get when you are finished with the corrective laser eye surgery treatments.

What Does Laser Eye Surgery Involve

Whether you get a Lasik laser eye surgery in California or anywhere else in the country, the procedures are about the same. You will need to perform an eye examination with a qualified surgeon who will perform the procedure. You will also have to proof that your eyesight has not changed for at least a year and you need a recent medical examination sheet that states your present state of health.

The whole process of the Lasik laser eye surgery may take couple of hours but the surgery itself takes only a few minutes. In most cases, you will not have to be hospitalized. However, it is advisable to have a family member or friend to be along with you because you will be sedated and may not be able to drive or even see well right after the surgery.

Is Eye Laser Surgery For Everyone?

Like any surgical process, eye laser surgery is not for everybody. Although it can assist most people with eyesight problems, there are just some people who cannot be helped by eye laser surgery. To ensure that you are one of those who can be helped by eye laser surgery, you should check with your eye doctor to find out precisely what is wrong with your eyes and to confirm it is something that can be fixed.

Also, you should recognize that eye laser surgery is usually not undertaken until someone's eyes have stopped altering. Frequently, as we grown-up, our eyes will arrive at a point where they won't get any worse. At the moment, many people decided to have laser surgery. Take note that it is not going to work well if you have the surgery before your eyesight have stopped altering. If you insist on doing the surgery, you will find that you have to go back to glasses and contacts.

Are There Any Risks?

Like any surgery, there are definitely risks to LASIK laser eye surgery. First of all, it is still a somewhat new method, which means many things could still go wrong. However, almost in every case, only one eye is operated at each surgery. This is the make sure that if the operation turns out to be a failure, you are still not totally blind. This may sound scary but, in the vast majority of cases, there are no complications. Statistics show that approximately 92% of patients are happy with the Lasik laser eye surgery. People are simply able to see better, clearer and they do not have to rely on contact or glasses for the rest of their lives.

Even with the existence of risks, eye laser surgery is still something that has helped millions of people and it could help you too. If you are the right candidate for such procedure, it is something that worth considering.