eye laser surgery : Lasik Eye Surgery Complications

What are some of the possible complications of Lasik eye surgery?

Undercorrection – this occurs when the expected vision correction falls short of the desired outcome. This occurs more commonly with patients who have a high degree of nearsightedness (only objects close up are clear), farsightedness (only objects far away are clear) or astigmatism (images both far and near are distorted). Why? There is more laser corneal sculpting that needs to occur with patients having higher degrees of vision imperfection. When interviewing Lasik eye surgeons, it’s important to ask them what percentage of their patients need retreatment for undercorrection. This should be something that they are willing to freely discuss with you. If not, walk away! This is not to be confused with a planned slight undercorrection for nearsighted patients over forty years old which aids their reading vision. But this is something that you and your Lasik eye surgeon would have discussed before your surgery.

Overcorrection – this complication occurs less frequently than undercorrection and results when the amount of correction (corneal laser sculpting) exceeds what is planned. Slight overcorrection can be temporary and may resolve itself in the first month following Lasik eye surgery. Patients can manage slight overcorrections by wearing glasses until their vision resolves. Some patients with overcorrection may need additional Lasik eye surgery 3 to 6 months following their first surgery.

Dry Eye – many Lasik eye surgery patients may experience the feeling of ‘grittiness’ in their eyes following surgery. This condition usually resolves itself in 3 to 6 months and may be helped by using lubricating eye drops. Patients using birth control pills and patients going through menopause may experience this condition more often. If ‘dry eye’ continues beyond 6 months, Lasik eye surgeons may recommend blocking your tear ducts with tiny silicon plugs to prevent tears from draining away too quickly.

Corneal abrasion – a small percentage of Lasik eye surgery patients may develop a small corneal abrasion (scrape) caused by the microkeratome (instrument used to create corneal flap) used during surgery. This abrasion is generally not serious and will heal quickly. Lasik eye surgeons may temporarily place a thin bandage contact lens on your eye to promote healing. While your abrasion is healing, your vision will be blurry.

Night glare – this annoying condition may not affect your vision clarity but patients may see halos or ghosting of images at night during the first month following surgery. Night glare generally improves in 3 months and often disappears within 6 months. Patients with large pupils and more severe vision impairment may be more prone to night glare.

Corneal flap complication – this occurs when the corneal flap is too small, too thin or is an irregular shape. In some cases the corneal flap may shift slightly following surgery if a patient rubs their eyes during the first 6 hours after surgery. If the flap does shift, ‘wrinkles’ can form causing distorted vision. A second procedure may be necessary to ‘smooth out’ the wrinkles and improve vision.

Infection – although this is the most feared complication of Lasik eye surgery patients, it is extremely rare. If your eye is going to become infected, chances are it will happen in the first 72 hours following surgery and will be treated with antibiotic eye drops. For this reason it is very important to avoid eye makeup, hot tubs and swimming pools for at least the first week following Lasik eye surgery.

The risks of Lasik eye surgery are low with experienced Lasik eye surgeons but you need to be aware of possible complications prior to surgery. Lasik eye surgeons should freely discuss all possible complications of Lasik eye surgery prior to surgery. Do everything you can to put your eyes in the best possible hands.

Beth Gabriel is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Lasik-Solutions.com. She provides more Lasik Eye Surgery information and help with choosing Lasik Eye Surgeons that you can read on her website from the comfort of your home at 2:00 am!

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eye laser surgery : Throw Away the Glasses: Go for Laser Eye Surgery

For Julie, my best friend, world meant black without her spectacles. The poor myopic girl became the butt of social ridicules because of these thick glasses of hers. At twenty five she used to look like forty years old because of her glasses. Yes, she tried contact lenses once, but she wasn’t comfortable with them and the glasses were the only bridge between her and the world, until the summer of 2000, when she underwent laser eye surgery. Since then everything has changed for her. In her own words surgery brought her freedom; freedom to see the world with her own eyes without any kind of dependence.

Julie is not alone in her experience. There are thousands all across the USA, who are taking to Laser Eye Surgery, the most exciting advancement in ophthalmology. The traditional corrective measures for problematic eye sight involve using spectacles or contact lenses. But in recent years laser surgery seems to replace these traditional devices of correcting eye sight problem.

But what is laser eye surgery?

Laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure intended to correct common vision disorders, referred to as refractive disorders in ophthalmology which include myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia or farsightedness and also astigmatism or distorted vision.

In this surgery, the laser is aimed at the cornea, which is the outer and clear round structure covering the iris, the colored part of the eye and the pupil. The surgery intends to gently reshape the cornea by changing the thickness of the tissues of cornea. No matter whether you are far sighted or near sighted, the surgery will help your eyes bring the images into proper focus.

Can you opt for different types of laser surgery?

Yes of course you can. Currently there are mainly three types of laser eye surgeries, which you can choose from depending on the type of your eye problem and your budget.

So far LASIK is the most popular type of eye laser surgery that uses the most advanced technological equipment. This is a procedure, which involves carving out of a thin layer of cornea to create a flap. The objective of this procedure is to direct the laser to the tissues lying underneath. The flap which is replaced grows back naturally. And you get an improved vision almost instantly.

The next option is EPIFLAP or LASEK surgery. In this process, the outer layer of cells on the eye is partially removed to expose the cornea. Then laser is applied to flatten or reshape the cornea and the outer cells are pushed back. Just a matter of few days and you get impeccable vision.

The last and oldest option is PRK, which is performed on an outpatient basis with local anaesthesia. In this refractive surgery, laser is applied to remove microscopic amounts of tissue from the outer surface to reshape cornea.

Is it safe?

The laser eye surgery is a surgical procedure, approved by The US Food and Drug Administration. So you can understand there can be no question regarding its safety. But of course there are certain differences of opinion relating to its result, because the procedure is relatively new and long term effects of this surgery are still unknown.

If you are still doubtful, let me share with you a piece of information: according to a certain estimate, more than one million Americans every year undergo laser eye surgery to get rid of their glasses and contact lenses and the number is still increasing. A more valid proof of its growing popularity is the diminishing cost of the procedure.

Lucy Bartlett is a proud contributing author. Find more articles here. For more info visit Laser Eye Surgery or Lasik

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eye laser surgery : Laser Eye Surgery

Good vision and eyesight can make or mar the quality of a person’s life. The conventional method of correcting vision is through spectacles or contact lenses. In recent times, however, laser surgery has become a much-sought-after alternative. The laser is aimed at the cornea, the outer circular structure that shields the colored part of the eye (otherwise known as the iris), and the pupil. In correcting myopia, for instance, the laser is set to decrease the thickness of the cornea. This makes it possible for the eye to bring images into focus accurately.

There are essentially three different types of laser eye surgery. The latest and most prevalent type of laser surgery is called ‘Lasik’. This process involves creating a flap by cutting off a thin layer of the cornea, which further enables the laser to aim for the tissue beneath. The flap is merely placed back, and regenerates naturally. The results are almost immediate – vision is restored in no time.

The second most popular type of laser surgery is called ‘Epiflap’ or ‘Lasek’ surgery. This method involves the fractional removal of the epithelium to reveal the cornea. The cornea is then firmed or reshaped by a laser. Furthermore, the outer layer of cells is pushed back, and the eye heals shortly after.

PRK was the prevailing laser eye surgery method for years. It involved the entire removal of the epithelial cells on the eye. While Lasik is used to treat severe hyperopia or myopia, Lasek is only used to correct mild to average myopia.

These treatments are generally considered safe. However, the medical community is divided in its opinion over some of the latest advances in eye surgery and treatments. This is largely due to the newness of the technology and a lack of research on the long-term effects of some of these treatments. Moreover, like any surgery, eye surgery poses its own set of risks, and doctors are expected to educate their patients on the matter. It is not unusual for patients to suffer complications, even to the extent of having to have their cornea transplanted. Laser eye surgery should only be done on a healthy adult. Mild eyesight issues are not considered legitimate enough to warrant laser surgery. Conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes and illnesses involving the bone and joint can also rule out the possibility of laser treatments.

Laser Eye Surgery provides detailed information on Laser Eye Surgery, Laser Eye Surgery Costs, Corrective Laser Eye Surgeries, Lasik Laser Eye Surgeries and more. Laser Eye Surgery is affiliated with Cosmetic Laser Surgery.

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Laser Eye Surgery Could Be For You

It might be the case that you are tired of wearing glasses, or you believe that it cramps your style. You also don’t want to use contact lenses, in order to avoid infection or inflammation due to overuse. In such a scenario, you are likely to consider LASIK eye surgery, which is one of the most prevalent vision correction procedures. And therefore, you require some basic LASIK education, in order to get a clear picture of what you can expect from LASIK if you want to know whether you should do eye laser surgery.
If the light rays don't focus on the retina (light-sensing cells), the image you see is blurry. This is termed as refractive error, and may be caused due to an irregularly shaped cornea. LASIK surgery involves carving of the cornea in order to give it the perfect shape, thereby making light rays focus on the retina. LASIK surgery employs a high-precision laser, named Excimer, which is an ultraviolet chemical laser.
Scads of people have undergone LASIK, and most procedures have been successful. But as with any surgery, LASIK has associated risks and complications. However, LASIK has a relatively low complication rate, between 1% and 5%, which is among the lowest in the eye surgery field. Another trivia from the chapter on LASIK education is that LASIK may not result in perfect vision. That is, not all patients achieve a 20/20 vision.
If you suffered from myopia and have undergone LASIK as a corrective procedure, you would still require reading glasses (for near vision) in your late 40s. LASIK is an irreversible procedure, and most insurance companies do not cover LASIK surgery. Therefore, make sure that your surgery is performed by an experienced ophthalmologist. Also note that only eye MDs (ophthalmologists) are permitted to perform LASIK surgery.
Now that you are aware of the ins and outs of LASIK surgery, decision making is much easier. Have a discussion with an experienced ophthalmologist. It might be the case that you could very well forego the surgery. But if need be, LASIK is a superlative option to correct your vision.
Nicola Kennedy publishes articles and reports and provides news, information and views about whether you should do eye laser surgery at Your Lasik Information. The LASIK Surgeons Directory will help you find a LASIK doctor.
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3 Reasons You Should Do Eye Laser Surgery

There are a number of reasons why you should do eye laser surgery, but also many reasons why you shouldn't. This article examines those reasons, in order that you can make an informed decision if eye laser surgery (or Lasik) is right for you.

To start, we can discuss the conditions which are certainly treatable by Lasik, and mean that you could or you should do eye laser surgery.
Myopia or nearsightedness, hyperopia farsightedness or astigmatism are all treatable by eye laser surgery. As long as your vision has remained unchanged for at least two years, then you would probably experience benefit from having the procedure done.

There are some caveats to these though, and we can start with your age.

If you are under 18 years old, then eye laser surgery is most definitely not right for you. The FDA has not approved any laser for the use of LASIK for people under 18, because in all likelihood, your visions prescription will still be changing. There is also the legal argument that minors may not be able to sign a legal consent form.

There are also some other considerations.
You should be aware that eye laser surgery, like all other surgical procedures, does come with some risks attached to it, and your vision at the end may be less than perfect. Furthermore, it is possible that you may encounter side effects such as a 'glare' effect. If you are not willing to accept the potential risks, then eye laser surgery is not right for you.

Once the Lasik procedure has been completed, there will be a significant amount of time required to recover. In other words results will not be immediate. You will also need to follow a fairly strict regime of medications such as eye drops. If you feel unable to do this, then eye laser surgery is not right for you.
If you have any of the following conditions:-

* Diabetes
* Auto immune diseases
* If you are Immunocompromised at all
* Collagen vascular disease

Then you should not be considering to do eye laser surgery.
If you are taking any medications which might impair or prevent your natural healing, then you should not be considering to do eye laser surgery. The type of medications in question are steroids or immunosuppressants.

There are a number of existing eye conditions which also mean that you should not be considering to do eye laser surgery. Some of the conditions in question are as follows:-

* Keratoconus or other corneal thinning disorder
* Corneal scarring
* Glaucoma
* Cataracts
* A recent occurrence of ocular herpes.
* Retinal disease
* Dry eye

Any of these conditions should preclude you from undertaking eye laser surgery.
I hope this article has been of use, and you leave better informed about eye laser surgery than when you arrived. If you have doubts or questions, then always refer to your Lasik surgeon or doctor. By Charlie Cory