Is Laser Eye Surgery Safe

							Title:
Is Laser Eye Surgery Safe?

Word Count:
444

Summary:
In most cases laser eye surgery is
safe. But, like any other surgical
procedure there are certain risks t
hat need to be addressed.


Keywords:
eye, vision, surgery, optic, 20/20,
LASIK, laser,


Article Body:
In most cases laser eye surgery is
safe. But, like any other surgical
procedure there are certain risks t
hat need to be addressed. A large n
umber of patients have been able to
 stop wearing glasses after surgery
 and have achieved 20/40 vision, or
 better, that have been cases where
 patients have a decreased vision a
fter surgery. There are some things
 that need to be taken into account
 before choosing a "safe" laser eye
 surgery.

Corneal Haze

This is a common side effect of las
er eye surgery, but usually fades w
ith time, although not always. It c
an't be corrected with contact lens
es or glasses, but only a further s
urgery procedure to treat scarring,
 such as CustomVue WaveFront.

Decreased 20/20 Vision

Many types of laser eye surgery can
 leave scarred tissue, resulting in
 a 20/20 vision lower than the one
the patient used to experience befo
re treatment. Over corrected or und
er corrected vision is also a commo
n side effect of laser eye surgery.
 In such cases, glasses or contact
lenses may still be needed or the p
atient may be recommended a second
surgery for more effectiveness.

Vision Loss

Laser surgery procedures which use
a microkeratome blade to cut a flap
 involve the risk of cutting it off
 instead of leaving it hinged. If t
he flap is damaged, the patient may
 suffer vision loss. Successful pro
cedures that use a blade can still
leave small imperfections that can
result in blurred vision.

Post Operative Infections

Choosing a skilled and experienced
surgeon is certainly helpful to mak
e laser eye surgery safe, but there
's always the risk of post operativ
e infection. This risk is higher in
 PRK and LASEK than LASIK. In most
cases, these infections can be trea
ted with medication and usually don
't turn into long-term problems. Ho
wever, more sever complications ca
result into temporary vision loss o
r even worse. The healing process i
s longer for PRK and LASEK than LASIK.

It is important to not have extreme
ly high expectations about laser ey
e surgery, This treatment may not
be suitable for some people. There
are some things to consider, such a
s "Is laser eye surgery safe?", "ar
e your expectations reasonable?", a
nd "Is laser eye surgery safe for y
ou?" In order to answer these quest
ions you have to learn more about w
hat to expect from each type of las
er eye surgery. You should know the
 positives and negatives of them al
l, and talk to your doctor about wh
at is best for you.

Laser eye surgery is not a good cho
ice for everyone. Pregnant women, p
eople who suffer from diabetes, pat
ients who have problems with binocu
lar visions, thin corneas, dry eyes
 or large pupils may not be good ca
ndidates for this type of treatment.