How Safe Is Laser Eye Surgery?

In considering the question, is laser eye surgery safe, the simple answer is yes.  All procedure used are FDA approved and most have been done for a decade longer over in Europe.  The longer answer is that safe does not always mean uncomplicated, so being able to weigh the risks of side effects with the potential vision gains is key.  Though many laser eye surgery procedures exist the two most common types are LASIK and PRK.  Both surgeries are designed to reshape the cornea, the simple difference is that they use different methods of doing so.  As with any medical process, there are always risks and always exceptions, and there are many individuals who may not qualify for corrective laser surgery for their eyes because of the specific situation or problems their eyes have. 

Both LASIK and PRK laser eye surgery starts with an evaluation from a specialist to determine if you’re a likely successful candidate for surgery.  This narrowing of the entrance pool, so to speak, ensures a greater measure of success with a reduction in the number of complications.  It should be understood that neither surgery is considered miraculous and the eyes require time to heal.  It should also be understood that the odds are against achieving 20/20 vision through laser eye surgery, even if your prescription is minimal.

The most common side effects for laser eye surgery are vision aberrations such as light halos, light sensitivity, or impaired night vision.  Dryness, itching, or burning sensations are also commonly reported after laser eye surgery.  These effects should be temporary, alleviating themselves within a few days.  Pain should be mild enough to be eased with NSAID pain relievers, such as Ibuprofen.  More severe pain should be reported immediately.  Though the risk is minimal, equipment malfunction, surgeon error, or infection may worsen your vision.  Additionally there is a chance that you would need a secondary procedure, or enhancement, several months after an initial procedure.

Because laser eye surgeries create a flap on the surface of the eye, contact sports or trauma run the risk of producing flap dislocation.  There is also a chance that laser eye surgery may overcorrect a vision problem, or that the improvement in vision might not be permanent.  To reduce these risks, the following steps are recommended.  First, become an informed consumer.  Read up on risks and benefits, surgeons, procedures and the like.  Two, find a surgeon and clinic that you trust.  Three, follow their advice to the letter.  If an experienced surgeon qualifies you for laser eye surgery, the likelihood that laser eye surgery is safe for you is quite high.

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