All prospective patients must consider laser eye surgery safety and complications before treatment
Possible side effects and complications
Possible side effects and complications of laser eye surgery include:
- Treatment not successful - this may be due to over treatment or under treatment. You may need a second 'enhancement' procedure.
- Dry eyes - you may need to use lubricating eye drops.
- Delayed healing - the superficial layer of the cornea or the flap (if LASIK procedure was used) may not heal properly. Follow-up treatment may be required.
- Infection - treatment with antibiotics may be necessary.
- Superficial scarring - this will require a further procedure to fix.
- Excessive thinning of the cornea - this may lead to a return of sight problems and require the use of contact lenses or further surgery.
- Sensitive eyes - some people report increased sensitivity to glare, which can make driving dangerous.
- Blurred vision - 'halos' or rings of fuzzy light may result from the treatment.
Taking care of yourself at home
Be guided by your ophthalmologist, but general suggestions include:
- Use antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medication (in the form of drops) in the operated eye(s) for a period after surgery.
- Use plastic shields over the operated eye(s) for several nights after surgery to prevent damage caused by rubbing.
- Do not use pressure to rub the operated eye(s).
Long term outlook
Some people who have laser eye surgery will still need to wear glasses or contact lenses to achieve optimum vision, although their natural eyesight should be much improved.
The long-term effects of laser corneal sculpting are believed to be minimal if the eyes are deemed to be well suited to the procedure.
Other forms of treatment
Traditional methods of correcting myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism include:
- Prescription glasses
- Contact lenses.
There are also alternative surgical procedures that do not require the use of an excimer laser. These include implantation of an intraocular lens, corneal incisions and conductive keratoplasty (use of radiofrequency waves).
For more information on laser eye correction complications, please visit www.allaboutvision.com
For more information on CK vision correction, please see our sister site :
CK eye surgery at www.CK-treatment.com |
