LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Advice

For those of us who have to fiddle with contact lenses or grope for glasses first thing every morning, the prospect of 20/20 vision is an unimaginable dream. The little inconveniences of suffering from imperfect sight mount up over time and many people have at some time wondered about the benefits of having surgery to correct their sight. Since the advent of laser surgery, it has been possible to resculpt the eye in order to change how it sees the world.

The original laser eye procedure, PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), involved the complete removal of the cornea's outer layer before sculpting and allowing it to grow back on its own after some days. However, the development of Lasik (laser in situ keratomileusis) surgery now means that in suitable cases ophthalmologists can carefully peel back the cornea surface to operate underneath and then return it to its original place.

Lasik surgery permanently changes the physiology and optics of the eye. When considering any form of non-urgent surgery, patients should always bear in mind the risk-benefit ratio. The benefits are obvious - no more glasses or contact lenses. However, the risk of permanent damage to vision can be greater than even many ophthamologists know.

According to the 'Review of Optometry' journal, up to one in six people who undergo laser surgery end up with complications that affect their eyesight. These include distortions of vision, such as irregular astigmatism, which cannot be corrected by glasses. Other patients simply experience a deterioration in their quality of vision or serious 'dry-eye' syndrome.


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