Side Effects of LASIK Surgery

LASIK surgery revolutionized vision for millions of Americans. The revolution happened despite misconceptions and myths regarding the side effects of LASIK surgery. The potential side effects of LASIK surgery are real. A genuine understanding of the effects is necessary to understand and access any risk factors associated with the revolutionary surgical procedure. Fears over side effects should not be reason to rule out the outstanding benefits offered by LASIK surgery.

Treatment works

Most LASIK surgery side effects are treatable with prescription medications, and do go away after time. Being paralyzed by fear over possible problems before even undergoing the surgery is irrational. The side effects often heal within days after the surgery, if they happen at all.

 

The side effects

-One of the most common side effects of LASIK surgery is tension felt when faced with light. A few days often diminishes and eliminates the side effect.
-Patients should expect dry eyes. This lasts for a period of up to several months. During that time, artificial tears often reduce the pain.
-A common side effect of LASIK surgery is a feeling that one's eyes have sand in them, or feel like sandpaper when they blink. This happens in the several days after a surgery, but usually lasts no longer. The condition is called diffuse lamellar keratitis, and is often treated with eye drops and anti-inflammatory drugs. Most heal within days, and at the latest, weeks. However, in rare instances, a touch-up surgery may be required to clean the eye.
-Another side effect is blurred vision. Again this often occurs as part of the healing process, while the eye adjusts.
-Surgery can cause pain during the first 2-3 days as the eye seals. During the same period, tearing sometimes happens as the eye seals itself. Both heal with rest.
-Some patients experience halos and night vision problems after LASIK surgery. The effects are noticeable and prevalent during the first few weeks, but often do not outweigh the benefits patients experience after having the surgery.
A special eye drop currently in development reduces the prevalence and strength of these side effects, and should be released in the near future.
-Patients often assume LASIK corrects the need for reading glasses as people age. However that is not the case. Patients will require LASIK as they age. LASIK cannot correct this natural function. This is not a side effect or complication of LASIK, but more of a side effect of aging.
-A frustrating part of LASIK for patients is the occasional return visits to place the final touches on the procedure. As the eyes heal, they sometimes need more surgery to compensate for changes during the healing process.

 

Post-surgery complications

Complications are a rare, but possible side effect of any surgery. They exist with LASIK surgery as well.
-Diminished vision is a potential complication of LASIK surgery. The diminished vision is most noticeable when using corrective vision tools such as eyeglasses or contacts. However, many people see better,better and more naturally without the use of these after LASIK.
-Dry eye syndrome develops in select patients. Those patients discover their eyes no longer possess the capability to produce tears, and this may continue for months. As a result, they develop prolonged dry eye syndrome. More surgical procedures can correct the problem of dry eye syndrome.

 

Not to worry

 

The most feared side effect of LASIK is loss of vision. Loss of vision is so rare that it’s almost more of a myth than a reality. It does happen, but on such a rare basis that LASIK is considered a safe procedure. Just ask your friends and neighbors. Many will share pleasant experiences of seeing the world in all its glory for the first time in their lives.