The Pros And Cons of Lasik Eye Surgery
As with all surgery, LASIK has its pros and cons. This article is intended to help you get an understanding of what LASIK surgery is, it’s possible complications and the facts surrounding such a delicate surgery. We hope this article will encourage you to seek additional information from other resources that are both pro and con LASIK.
What exactly is LASIK?
LASIK is a surgery performed on the cornea of your eye in order to correct your vision. LASIK has been around for over a decade and involves a special device that cuts a hinged flap of thin corneal tissue off the outer layer of your cornea. Next the flap is lifted out of the way so that the surgeon can use a laser to reshape the underlying corneal tissue. Finally the surgeon replaces the flap. The whole procedure takes around fifteen minutes or less and no stitches are required. Once the procedure is done a shield will be placed over the eye to protect the flap Healing is relatively fast and the flap adheres to the eyeball quickly after surgery.Will There Be Any Pain?
• You may experience some mild pain after the surgery. Ask your doctor to prescribe a painkiller.
• Any unusual pain should be reported to your doctor immediately.
• You will probably have some blurry vision on the day of your surgery which should significantly improve over night.
• You may be sensitive to light for up to two weeks after surgery. Wearing sunglasses can alleviate this.
How Do I find A Qualified LASIK Surgeon?
First of all, make sure your surgeon is a board certified ophthalmologist. Only an ophthalmologist is allowed to perform LASIK. You will want to ask lots of questions. Make sure to ask how many LASIK surgeries he has performed, not just refractive. Each set of eyes is one surgery not two. How many does he do per day? How long has he been doing LASIK? Can you speak with a patient or two of his about their results? Remember, more doesn’t necessarily mean better. Use your judgment.
Make sure your doctor measures your eyes, not everyone is a good candidate for this elective surgery. Some people have pupils that are too large. This is a very important question to ask. Always keep in mind that there are alternatives to this surgery. Ask your ophthalmologist what these are.
Make sure your doctor is using a laser approved by the US Food And Drug Administration. Find out what his success rate is. Ask if you will have twenty/twenty vision or need enhancements. Feel free to research the company that makes your surgical equipment for the laser. Your doctor should be able to tell you the name of the company. Not all of them are created equal. Some have better records when it comes to equipment malfunctions such as blade problems.
After finding a board certified ophthalmologist, I would seek out at least one or two more opinions. Remember these are your precious irreplaceable eyes. Please do not cut corners. You may even want to go to an ophthalmologist that doesn’t do these surgeries for his point of view on this surgery.
Does My Insurance Cover The Costs Of This Procedure?
Most insurance do not cover this procedure because it is considered an elective surgery.
Possible Complications From LASIK.
Below is a list of possible complications that are relatively low, please make it your business to get informed before undergoing such a delicate procedure. Remember, LASIK is an elective surgery and you must weigh the risks.
• Equipment complications. Reports of blade breaking or malfunctioning. Reports of unsterile blades. Make sure your blade is sterilized even if it does come right out of the box.
• Improper calibration of equipment.
• Possible flap complications. Such as postoperative wrinkles and inflammation underneath the flap.
• Imperfect flap forming with the use of the handheld blade. This may require additional surgery down the road.
• Possibility of eye trauma. Flap could be dislodged if hit with great force. This is a remote possibility due to the quick healing nature of the eye.
• Incomplete corrections such as under correction or over correction. If you are over or under corrected you may still need to wear glasses or have addition treatment.
• Red eye.
• Dry eye
• Infection
• Visual aberrations such as glare, halos sensitivity to light or even double vision or low-light night vision.
• Irregular flaps that can also cause visual aberrations and wrinkles.
• A condition called Keratectasia occurs when a flap is cut too deeply. The result is distorted vision that may not be corrected with additional lasering. May require contacts.
• Irritation.
• Additional corrections may be needed.
• You may still need reading glasses when you reach your forties.
• In some small cases vision was worse after procedure.
• Possible loss of vision which may or may not be able to be corrected.
• LASIK surgery cannot be reversed.
• Not everyone achieves perfect 20/20 vision; you may still need corrective eyewear. The Academy Of Ophthalmology reports that seven out of ten surgeries resulted in 20/20 vision.
• Lack of long-term study of this surgical procedure prevents us from knowing the long-term effects.
Benefits to LASIK Surgery
• Improved vision.
• Quick recovery time.
• Little or no pain.
• Both eyes can be treated at once, unlike other
types of eye surgeries.
• Can eliminate your need for glasses and contacts.
• Great for outdoor activities such as diving,
water skiing and contact sports.
The percentage of complications is relatively small according
to recent studies. The current rate of complications is between one and two
percent. However, please check with your doctor to ensure you have the most
recent information.
Note: There are many alternatives. If you are not comfortable with the use of a blade ask your doctor about IntraLase laser, a bladeless surgical procedure. Although it cannot eliminate all complications, it may be a viable alternative to the possible risks that come with the use of a blade.
