LASIK Eye Surgery Complications

With any surgery there are potential risks and side effects. Knowing about these risks and complications in advance is the best way to be prepared for your surgery. In general, patients are pleased with the results that they receive from LASIK Eye Surgery. A patient should carefully weigh the risks and benefits in order to determine if LASIK Eye Surgery is right for you. The following are possible complications and risks of LASIK Eye Surgery.

Loss of vision. Some patients may lose lines of vision on the vision chart that cannot be corrected with corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) or surgery.

Debilitating visual symptoms. Some patients may develop the following that affects nighttime vision: glare, halos, or double vision. Some patients may have reduced visibility in low contrast situations (night or fog).

Under or over treated. Not everyone will achieve 20/20 vision and will require additional treatment. Not everyone can get retreated which may result in the need of corrective lenses in order to achieve 20/20 vision after LASIK Eye Surgery. In some cases, you may still need reading glasses after LASIK Eye Surgery.

Dry eye syndrome. A patient’s eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable after the LASIK Eye Surgery. Dry eye can cause discomfort and can reduce visual quality due to intermittent blurring. This complication could also be permanent after the LASIK Eye Surgery and not repairable.

Results not so good in patients with large refractive errors. The patient should know what outcome to expect from the LASIK Eye Surgery. These expectations should be discussed with the eye surgeon in advance.

Results may decrease with age for farsighted patients. If you are farsighted the level of improved vision you experience may decrease with age.

Lack of long-term data. Long-term data is not available for LASIK Eye Surgery as the procedure is fairly new. Therefore the full extent of possible complications and risks cannot be known at this time.