Risks Associated with Lasik Eye Surgery

Lasik is a procedure done with lasers that is used to correct less than perfect vision. The main idea is to change the shape of the cornea so that the images it reflects onto the retina are clear and crisp thus producing better vision. As with any surgery, lasik holds some risks. More importantly is that these risks affect your vision and that is not to be taken lightly. Before undergoing lasik vision correction, patients should know all risks associated with it.

Lasik is a fairly new procedure. The first approval for lasik eye surgery came in 1998. The long term effects are not clear. There is no idea how permanent lasik correction is or if it can produce long term problems. The risks that immediately follow the surgery are known, however. It is important to note that a small percentage of people experience harmful effects as a result of lasik. Possible problems that can occur are complications, vision problems and aggravation of previous conditions. One complication that can show up is dry eye syndrome. The surgery may affect your eyes ability to produce tears. This leads to your eye being dry. When the eye is dry you can experience blurred vision and discomfort. Other complications can result from the cornea not healing correctly. If this happens more surgery may be necessary. To reduce the chance of complications you should follow every order your doctor gives you regarding after care. Normal risks associated with surgery also apply, such as reactions to the anesthesia, bleeding and infection. If you have a preexisting eye condition it may be aggravated by lasik eye surgery. In some cases patients develop a problem where they see starbursts or halos around lights. This also makes it hard for them to see in dark conditions. This problem can sometimes be fixed through another surgery and other times it is permanent. In severe cases some patients have actually ended up with worse vision than before the surgery. While this rarely occurs it is still a possibility of which all potential patients should be aware.

There are other risks to think about. Lasik is an expense that most insurance companies will not pay for. You need to understand how you will finance the procedure, including any possible work in the future. You should be prepared to handle any possible problem, both financially and emotionally. You should also make sure if a problem does occur that it will not put your job at risk. Talk with your employer about your decision and specifically discuss what will happen if you need more time off. These risks may seem minor, but with much left unknown about lasik there is always a possibility of something unexpected occurring.

Lasik is generally a safe surgery. Due to the surgery being in the eye and affecting your vision it is very important to know what can happen even it is most likely not going to occur. Being prepared is the best way to ensure your lasik experience is a good one.

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