LASIK surgery and cons pros

Dear Dr. Roach: I was considering LASIK surgery for my eyes, but I recently saw some concerning information on the news. Is it safe? — L.B.

With 20 million or so procedures done in the U.S., LASIK is a commonly performed surgery. It corrects refractive error so that a person can see clearly without glasses. A laser is used to cut a flap of cornea, and the cornea is reshaped to allow for correct vision, then the flap is replaced. For most patients, it is a painless procedure with almost immediate visual recovery.

Though it is one of the safest eye surgeries in the U.S., there are a few known risks to the procedure. The reshaping of the cornea isn’t always perfect, and repeat procedures are sometimes necessary to optimize vision. This happens up to 10% of the time. The cornea can regress or reshape itself over time; visual acuity can decrease with surgery; and many people will need reading glasses after surgery sooner than they would have had to without surgery.

Dry eyes are a very common problem. The nerves to the cornea are partially cut during surgery, and this prevents proper lubrication. However, for most patients, post-operative dry eye only lasts for a month or so. It is easily treated with artificial tears, which are always recommended for several months after surgery.

With so many procedures being performed, there are some more serious complications reported. Rarely, severe damage to the cornea and vision loss have been reported.

Most patients undergoing LASIK do extremely well postoperatively. The best way to prevent complications is to undergo thorough pre-operative screening. An ophthalmologist with special expertise in corneal surgery should be consulted to provide .

All surgical procedures have risks. It is imperative to understand the risksprior.