LASIK Project

Lasik eye surgery has been performed since 1998 to help people gain freedom from eyeglasses and contact lenses. There have been many successful operations resulting in a person getting 20/20 vision. However, lasik is a surgery and there is a possibility of side effects. Although most people who undergo lasik do not experience long term or severe side effects, some people do. It is always important to know the risks involved whenever seeking a surgical procedure, especially one that is selective, like lasik.

It is important to understand that most people who do experience side effects from lasik eye surgery are people who should never have been qualified as a good candidate for the surgery in the first place. People who have or have had before any problems with their eyes should be very cautious of getting lasik surgery. Also it is important to understand that not everyone will achieve 20/20 vision through lasik eye surgery and you may still need eyeglasses or contact lenses after the procedure.

Some of the first side effects you may experience following the surgery are a small amount of pain, watery eyes and a burning sensation. Your doctor can help these side effects by offering you a low dose pain killer. In most cases these symptoms are not too severe and an over the counter medication will help ease them. You will also experience blurry vision as it will take time to see the actual results of the surgery. You may also have a hard time seeing in dark conditions. It can take up to six months for your vision to completely stabilize. However, it is important to remember that if you ever experience terrible pain or anything else that concerns you, to see your doctor as soon as possible.

Some side effects may end up being permanent. Some lasik patients develop a condition called dry eye syndrome. This condition is where the eyes can not produce enough moisture. The treatment includes the use of eye drops or plugs that are inserted in the tear ducts. There is also a chance that problems seeing in dark conditions may persist. Another side effect is where you see halos or starbursts around lights. This results from smaller distortions in your cornea that your surgeon may not have noticed during your pre-op exam. There is also a chance of infection, as with any surgery. Infections can be treated by your doctor with medication.

The most severe and rare side effects have a more devastating effect. Some patients may end up with more of a vision problem than before. There is even a chance of blindness. Most of these severe side effects happen due to either complications after the surgery or as a result of an under qualified surgeon. The laser used to perform the surgery has to be programmed correctly. If your surgeon is not trained well enough and the programming is wrong, the laser may take too much corneal tissue or not enough corneal tissue resulting in side effects. There is also a chance of the flap that was cut in the cornea not healing correctly. This can result from not following the doctors orders to keep the eye covered for a period of time or from an injury to the eye after the surgery. The flap in the cornea is very thin and can easily be wrinkled if proper follow up care is not observed.

Lasik is a new procedure so long term side effects have not been studied. There is no guarantee that the results will last or that side effects can be avoided. It is always wise to discuss all possibilities with your surgeon before proceeding with the surgery.

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