Factors
That Increase the Risks of Having LASIK
Because of its continually high success rates,
LASIK has become an increasingly common surgical procedure. Millions
of satisfied patients have undergone refractive surgery with amazing
results. The majority of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision,
some do even better.
It is easy for people with visual impairments to get excited by
these statistics. Who doesn’t want perfect vision? But it
is important to remember that every operation has its risks, even
if they are small. Statistics show that approximately one out
of 2,000 LASIK surgery patients will suffer serious complications
that lead to an actual worsening of vision. While that amounts
to only .05% of all patients, the risk is nevertheless there.
For 95.5% of patients, LASIK is a blessing. Their surgeries are
quick and easy, and their recoveries are relatively uneventful.
But for a rare fraction of patients, LASIK could have devastating
consequences. Risks associated with LASIK vary by patient. Certain
conditions may increase risks, so it is important for you to have
a proper screening and disclose all related medical issues to
your doctor.
One of the factors that determines candidacy is the structure
of the eye. LASIK procedure has been perfected using specifications
for a normal eye. One abnormality that can prevent LASIK from
being effective is a thin cornea. Integral to the LASIK technique
is the ability to cut a corneal flap and reshape the eye. Instruments
used in LASIK are calibrated for corneas of a normal thickness,
and thus operating on an eye with a thin cornea poses increased
risks. Some complications of a failed LASIK procedure on thin
corneas may include irritated or inflamed eyes and partial vision
loss.
You cannot judge the thickness of your cornea just by looking
at it; eyes with thin corneas look just like normal eyes, and
the corneal tissue is already so thin that it takes special equipment
to measure it. You may have used this equipment before at a recent
eye exam. Your doctor asks you to place your eye in front of a
machine and focus, and then releases a puff of air. While it seems
simple, this machine is very important to LASIK surgeons as it
plays a vital role in the patient screening process.
Screenings or pre-operation exams determine more than the thickness
of your cornea. They may also identify other abnormalities like
large pupils or help a surgeon to diagnose eye diseases that could
complicate the recovery process. In the screening process, you
are also asked to fill out a questionnaire on your medical history
to ensure that you do not have chronic conditions like diabetes,
which can also increase the risk of complications.
While there is not yet a LASIK technique approved for every aberration,
there are some techniques approved for abnormalities like thin
corneas. One of these procedures is photorefractive keratectomy
(PRK). This form of refractive surgery removes the outer layer
of the cornea instead of cutting a flap. Because of the more invasive
procedure, the average recovery period is longer than that of
traditional LASIK, but the end results are almost as good. Additionally,
new procedures are being perfected at this very moment, so rare
or hard to treat aberrations may be correctable soon.