LASIK complications
Technology has become a big part of our lives, and has opened many doors and opportunities that were previously simply not available. One example of this is the ability to now get corrective eye surgery quickly, easily, and for an affordable cost. LASIK eye surgery has become a popular form of refractive surgery, and an option many needing corrective eye surgery have opted for. It is a great way to restore vision and regain independence from glasses, contact lenses, etc. However, with all of the hype and excitement that comes around this popular procedure, many forget about some of the potential risks or complications. Before deciding to get, or refrain from getting, LASIK, be sure you understand the common complications and potential risks so that you can make an educated decision.
The first question you want to ask yourself is not what the risks of LASIK are, as this can scare you away from the procedure, as any procedure involving the eye has the risk of blindness, etc., rather ask yourself how common complications from LASIK are. The fact is that in recent years, millions of successful procedures have been performed, and new, more sophisticated, and better technology is coming out every year, making the corrective eye surgery option of LASIK a great choice as it has a solid success rate. The truth is, most LASIK outcomes these days are very favorable.
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The numbers are almost staggeringly successful. For example, in a government decision to provide LASIK to help decrease the U.S. military troops reliance on artificial lenses or eyewear, 86 percent of the some 16000 treated achieved 20/20 or better uncorrected vision and 98 percent achieved 20/40 or better. 20/40 vision, while not as good as 20/20 is still good enough to be legal to drive with, without wearing corrective lenses. So, as you can see, as far as surgery goes, the odds and the percentages of success rate for LASIK is extremely high.
One of the biggest, or worst complications of LASIK is that it may cause you to see worse at night or in situations of decreased contrast, such as in a fog. This is more common, so while your regular vision may be restored to 20/40 or better, your night vision may actually get worse. This is a complication you have to decide if you can live with.
When LASIK first started, about 5% of those that underwent this laser eye surgery had some sort of complication. The results are far better now, as the procedure has improved. In fact, the number is nearing zero! If you find an experienced LASIK surgeon you may find that their complication rates are less than a percentage, and thus they are a safe bet for LASIK.
One of the biggest things to remember is that the healthier you are, and the better candidate you are for the surgery, the less chance of complication you run into. If you want to be a good candidate it is wise to be over 20, not pregnant, not suffering from illness that may interfere with healing, such as diabetes, have a full evaluation and consultation, and follow the recommendations of your surgeon to the letter after the surgery and before.
