| SolveYourProblem
eLearning Series:
Lasik Eye Surgery Questions & Answers
( 50 articles
in this series )
What Are The
the Risks of Lasik Surgery?
As with all forms of surgery, Lasik has the
potential for side effects. Although these side effects are
not considered life threatening, they can affect the overall
health of the eye, or eyes, as well as the quality of vision.
In addition, complications with Lasik are less likely to occur
with a surgeon who is experienced and who has performed the
procedure many times.
Statistically Speaking
A study that took place in the late 1990’s showed that nearly
5% of people who underwent Lasik surgery encountered some sort
of problem. Experienced surgeons, however, are currently reporting
a complications rate of below 1% if candidates are screened
and selected carefully.
When Lasik complications do occur, most are resolved by re-treating
the eye with lasers or by using eye enhancements. Rarely are
the complications of Lasik permanent or significant.
Flap Complications
The most common form of complications associated with Lasik
is problems with the flap. The flap is what is created when
the clear front covering of the eye, or the cornea, is cut
and lifted to assist in the reshaping of the eye. After the
reshaping is completed, the flap is replaced and serves as
a form of natural bandage.
On
rare occasion, this flap is cut through. This most often
occurs when a microkeratome is used for this procedure rather
than an IntraLase laser. In fact, IntraLase has been shown
to increase the accuracy of the procedure and, therefore, reduce
the number of flap complications.
If the flap is cut incorrectly, it may not adhere correctly
to the surface of the eye. In addition, the flap can be cut
too thinly or too thickly. When the flap is put back in position
over the eye, it can start to wrinkle. These flap complications
can cause the eye surface to be irregularly shaped, thereby
creating irregular astigmatism and vision distortions.
Dead cells can also get trapped beneath the flap. This phenomenon,
called Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis (DLK) or, “Sands of the Sahara,”
causes the cornea to react to the presence of this foreign
matter, which leads to inflammation and scarring. This can
potentially lead to permanent vision loss if not treated promptly
with topical steroids and antibiotics. In addition, the flap
might need to be lifted and scraped in order to remove the
infiltrates and the resulting growth.
Irregular Astigmatism
Irregular astigmatism can also result from Lasik surgery.
This complication results when the corneal surface. This happens
when the laser correction is improperly centered on the eye.
The symptoms of this complication include double vision, or
diplopia, or ghost images. This can generally be remedied by
re-treating the eye or by using enhancements.
Irregular healing of the cornea or swelling after the surgery
is complete can also cause ghost images or double vision. In
this case, the symptoms are likely to disappear without additional
treatment once the healing process is finished.
Overcorrection and Undercorrection
A person with severe visual problems is more likely to encounter
a gradual decrease in visual acuity over a period of time after
Lasik. This is known as regression.
The healing response of each person receiving Lasik can also
determine whether or not overcorrection or undercorrection
occurred. Both of these situations can also lead to less than
perfect results.
With all of these scenarios a follow-up procedure with Lasik,
known as enhancement, can alleviate the problem.
Keratectasia
If the flap is cut too deeply or if too much tissue is removed
from the cornea during the Lasik procedure, keratectasia can
occur. This condition causes the cornea, which has been weakened,
to bulge. This can result in distorted vision that is unable
to be corrected with laser enhancement. In this case, a rigid
contact may be put in place to help hold the cornea in place.
Dry Eye and Other Problems
Dry eye can also occur after Lasik surgery. In addition, infection,
inflammation, redness, irritation, and visual distortion can
occur. Some patients report seeing glares or halos around objects
that are brightly lit at night. The Lasik treatment zone being
too small can cause these complications, because it is unable
to accommodate the larger size of the pupil while in a lowly
lit area.
As surgeons become more and more skilled with performing Lasik
eye surgery and technology continues to advance, the likelihood
of developing complications from this innovative procedure
decreases.
# # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2006
> Home > Lasik
Eye Surgery Articles: Main Page
|
