Lasik Eye Surgery Risks

Lasik eye surgery risks have become less and less as new technologies have been introduced.

It is essential that a patient understands as much as possible about the Lasik eye surgery risks with the excimer laser procedure Lasik eye surgery risks. The risk of having a serious vision-threatening complication due to Lasik surgery is much less than one percent, however, the excimer laser procedure, like all surgical procedures, has limitations and risks.

Usually most of the risks following the Lasik and PRK procedures are the same. However, while the Lasik procedure does offer a faster and easier visual recovery, Lasik eye surgery risks exist due to the creation of the corneal flap.

Sometimes patient may be encounter too much correction, too little correction, a prescription imbalance between eyes, irritation of muscle imbalance problems or a loss of effect from regression. Lasik and PRK may result in overcorrection and under correction due to the variability in patient healing patterns and other surgical variables, leaving patients nearsighted, farsighted, or with astigmatism. This may or may not require patients to wear eye glasses, contact lenses or undergo further surgery. Lasik eye surgery risks may include significant overcorrection: 1/100 cases the incidence of significant under correction: varies with prescription.

Lasik eye surgery risks also include the risk of infection. This risk in the category of Lasik eye surgery risks is probably the greatest risk during the first 48 to 72 hours following the procedure. A patient will receive antibiotic drops, both before and after the procedure, to help prevent an infection. Most minor infections are treated and quickly eliminated. Lasik eye surgery risks include the incidence of serious infection: one in 5000 for Lasik, one in 1000 for PRK.

Lasik eye surgery risks also include healing haze is the term for the collagen protein that develops on the surface of your eye following the procedure. Almost everyone will develop trace degree of haze. This complication is invisible to the naked eye and very rarely affects patients of the overall vision. Most patients are not even aware that they have haze.

Even before having laser vision correction, many people experience poor night vision or night glare when wearing glasses or contact lenses. Night glare is a common Lasik eye surgery risk immediately following the procedure and will typically last for three or four months. By the time both your eyes are treated or six months have passed, a patient's night glare tends to decrease and you should be back to where you began. Lasik eye surgery risks can also include pain or discomfort during and after the surgery for the eye treated. With new techniques, discomfort following the procedure is minimal number and can usually be easily treated with medication.