Generally, laser eye surgery is safe, but just like any other surgical procedure, it does involve certain risks. Although a large number of patients have been able to stop using their glasses after surgery and achieved a 20/40 vision or even better, there are still some things you should take into account before choosing a “safe” laser eye surgery. A small number of patients actually experience a decreased vision after surgery.

Answered by Mohd Saqib , an ibibo Master, at 11:58 PM on September 29, 2008

Generally, laser eye surgery is safe, but just like any other surgical procedure, it does involve certain risks. Although a large number of patients have been able to stop using their glasses after surgery and achieved a 20/40 vision or even better, there are still some things you should take into account before choosing a “safe” laser eye surgery. A small number of patients actually experience a decreased vision after surgery.

Post Operative Infections :

Choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon is certainly helpful to make laser eye surgery safe, but there's always the risk of post operative infection. This risk is higher in PRK and LASEK than LASIK. In most cases, these infections can be treated with medication and usually don't turn into long-term problems. However, more sever complications ca result into temporary vision loss or even worse. The healing process is longer for PRK and LASEK than LASIK.

Corneal Haze :

This is a common side effect of laser eye surgery, but usually fades with time, although not always. It can't be corrected with contact lenses or glasses, but only a further surgery procedure to treat scarring, such as CustomVue WaveFront.

Vision Loss :

Laser surgery procedures which use a microkeratome blade to cut a flap involve the risk of cutting it off instead of leaving it hinged. If the flap is damaged, the patient may suffer vision loss. Successful procedures that use a blade can still leave small imperfections that can result in blurred vision.

Newer technology which doesn't involve cutting a flap from the corneal tissue, such as IntraLanse makes laser eye surgery safe. These procedures are more accurate, but also more expensive. There are some techniques to correct imperfections left by a blade too.

Decreased 20/20 Vision :

Many types of laser eye surgery can leave scarred tissue, resulting in a 20/20 vision lower than the one the patient used to experience before treatment. Over corrected or under corrected vision is also a common side effect of laser eye surgery. In such cases, glasses or contact lenses may still be needed or the patient may be recommended a second surgery for more effectiveness.

Other Problems :

Some patients also experience glare, sensitivity to light, decreased night vision or problems with double vision after laser eye surgery. Usually these side effects fade out over time, but no one can guarantee this will surely happen. The shape of your eye can change over time and eventually require a second surgery or using glasses or contact lenses.

Realistic Expectations :

However, you should not have exaggerated expectations about a laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery is not a universal treatment and may be unsuitable for certain people. There are actually three things to consider:
l Is laser eye surgery safe?
l Are your expectations reasonable?
l Is laser eye surgery safe for you?

In order to know what to expect, you have to learn more about the benefits and risks of each type of laser eye surgery and talk to a doctor.

Laser eye surgery is not a good choice for everyone. Pregnant women, people who suffer from diabetes, patients who have problems with binocular visions, thin corneas, dry eyes or large pupils may not be good candidates for this type of treatment.

People who are pregnant, have diabetes, experience problems with binocular vision, have very dry eyes, thin corneas, or very large pupils are just a few examples of those that are not good candidates for laser eye surgery. To make the right choice, talk to your ophthalmologist and discuss the pros and cons of several techniques and how would each of them respond to your needs.

Answered by Yogeshwar , an ibibo Specialist, at 4:36 PM on September 15, 2008

well, As with any form of surgery, LASIK does carry with it some risks. It is important you know seeking the care and guidance of an experienced LASIK surgeon often minimizes the risk of complications. When it comes to your eye health, less expensive may not always be best. You want to be certain you select a health care professional with appropriate credentials and experience performing LASIK procedures.

This will help reduce your risk of side effects and complications. Recent studies suggest that up to 5% of patients undergoing LASIK procedures will experience some mild side effects. Generally complication risks are minimized when patients for the procedure are carefully screened and selected.

Most of the side effects associated with LASIK treatments are relatively minor, and most not permanent.

Most Common LASIK Complications
Some of the more common complications associated with LASIK surgery involve the eye flap, or area of the eye that covers the cornea. This flap is cut during the LASIK procedure so patient's cornea can be re-shaped using a laser. The flap is then replaced.

At times the flap may be incorrectly cut or injured. Fortunately there is a new procedure that minimizes this risk known as IntraLase. While a more expensive alternative, many patients are choosing this procedure over traditional procedures to reduce the risk of injury associated with a traditional blade cut to the corneal flap.

Laser surgery procedures which use a microkeratome blade to cut a flap involve the risk of cutting it off instead of leaving it hinged. If the flap is damaged, the patient may suffer vision loss. Successful procedures that use a blade can still leave small imperfections that can result in blurred vision.

Post Operative Infections

Choosing a skilled and experienced surgeon is certainly helpful to make laser eye surgery safe, but there's always the risk of post operative infection. This risk is higher in PRK and LASEK than LASIK. In most cases, these infections can be treated with medication and usually don't turn into long-term problems. However, more sever complications ca result into temporary vision loss or even worse. The healing process is longer for PRK and LASEK than LASIK.

It is important to not have extremely high expectations about laser eye surgery, This treatment may not be suitable for some people. There are some things to consider, such as "Is laser eye surgery safe?", "are your expectations reasonable?", and "Is laser eye surgery safe for you?" In order to answer these questions you have to learn more about what to expect from each type of laser eye surgery. You should know the positives and negatives of them all, and talk to your doctor about what is best for you.

Answered by Satya ~ , an ibibo Master, at 5:50 PM on September 07, 2008

well, Lasik is acosmetic surgery in which the cornea is thinned out to change the refractive error, before this procedure is performed the doctor will check your corneal thickness, your retina, and check your eye pressure. If your eye is fit than the surgeon will proceed with the surgery. Each laser machine has a software which calculates how much of the cornea is to be cut. zy optix is the software of the laser supplied by baush and loomb company which claims is takes in to account your corneal curvature so that you have less glare and contrast problems. Other companies also have launched similar softwares and call them customised lasik. At present world wide this proceure is 10 years old so we dont know what corneal thickness after surgery is ad equate in the longtrem. at present thse surgery is giving good results in more than 95 % cases . You can check with baush and loomb company where all they have installed there zy optix

Answered by Santosh Kuma , an ibibo Master, at 2:09 PM on September 04, 2008

Your doctor will be happy to discuss these with you and clear your doubts before surgery.
* You do not want to wear spectacles or contact lenses!
* You feel visually and socially restricted by spectacles or contact lenses
* You are intolerant to contact lenses
* You want to participate in certain outdoor sports where using spectacles or contact lenses may be a problem
* You plan to join certain professions wherein excellent uncorrected visual acuity is a prerequisite.
mportant!!
Alt hough Lasik is an excellent procedure for low and moderate refractive errors, it may not totally remove the needof using glasses in everybody.

Answered by Uttam , an ibibo Master, at 2:15 PM on August 29, 2008

The question that goes through the mind of most every person considering LASIK eye correction surgery is whether or not it is safe. For those who don’t know, LASIK or "Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis" is a type of vision correction surgery in which surgery is performed on the cornea of the eye using a laser.
Commonly, LASIK surgery is very successful. The amount of long term complications is less than half a percent. These odds are fairly great of a successful procedure compared to many other types of surgeries. The most common problems associated with LASIK surgery are as follows:

• Blurred Vision (temporary or long term)
• Loss of eyesight (or may be worse than before)
• Over correction or under correction
• Inability to drive at night due to night blindness

Answered by alok , an ibibo Master, at 9:47 AM on August 17, 2008

Like any surgery, laser eye surgery carries some risks for the patient. Most surgeons who specialize in laser eye surgery claim that while not every patient experiences corrected vision, the risks of serious complications are low. Though this may be true, there are some complications that may warrant more concern.

The most common complication is failure to correct vision. Some patients who undergo laser eye surgery need a second surgery. Since most health insurance plans do not cover laser eye surgery, this is an expense the patient must incur. In some cases, little or no vision correction is achieved. This makes laser eye surgery a financial risk as well as a health risk. While every potential candidate for laser eye surgery is supposed to be examined to determine if they are a valid candidate, you should be certain that your surgeon and his staff are experienced and competent enough to make that determination.

Other potential complications that have been known to result from laser eye surgery include increased dry eye symptoms, blurred night vision, and “halo” vision. In addition, some people experience worse vision than before the surgery. These are all potential risks that should be properly explained to you before you undergo laser eye surgery.

The most serious complications are rarer, but have occurred. They include corneal damage and loss of vision. Again, these complications, though rare, are very serious and should be thoroughly explained by your surgeon – not a member of his staff – before your surgery.

visit /www.wisegeek.com

Answered by jyothi , an ibibo Master, at 3:12 PM on August 03, 2008

I am sure you are talking aboutb Laser (Eye) surgery.

Like any surgery, laser eye surgery carries some risks for the patient. Most surgeons who specialize in laser eye surgery claim that while not every patient experiences corrected vision, the risks of serious complications are low. Though this may be true, there are some complications that may warrant more concern.

The most common complication is failure to correct vision. Some patients who undergo laser eye surgery need a second surgery. Since most health insurance plans do not cover laser eye surgery, this is an expense the patient must incur. In some cases, little or no vision correction is achieved. This makes laser eye surgery a financial risk as well as a health risk. While every potential candidate for laser eye surgery is supposed to be examined to determine if they are a valid candidate, you should be certain that your surgeon and his staff are experienced and competent enough to make that determination.

Other potential complications that have been known to result from laser eye surgery include increased dry eye symptoms, blurred night vision, and “halo” vision. In addition, some people experience worse vision than before the surgery. These are all potential risks that should be properly explained to you before you undergo laser eye surgery.

The most serious complications are rarer, but have occurred. They include corneal damage and loss of vision. Again, these complications, though rare, are very serious and should be thoroughly explained by your surgeon – not a member of his staff – before your surgery

There have been over a million cases of successful laser eye surgery in the United States alone. If you feel the potential benefits far outweigh the risks, there are measures you can take to increase your odds of success. Choose a surgeon who is experienced and remember that older does not necessarily mean better. Because laser eye surgery has only been around a short number of years, it only matters how many surgeries your doctor has performed – not the number of years they’ve been in practice.

While laser eye surgery is not the most dangerous of all surgeries, it is not fail-proof. You may very well walk out with improved vision, which would be a blessing to anyone with poor vision, but be sure you have realistic expectations.


Source: http://www.wisegeek.com/is-las er-eye-surgery-safe.htm

Answered by Lifeisfun , an ibibo Specialist, at 11:48 PM on August 02, 2008

Laser surgery is very safe and effective. But in some patients there could be side effects. Your doctor will be happy to discuss these with you and clear your doubts before surgery.
* You do not want to wear spectacles or contact lenses!
* You feel visually and socially restricted by spectacles or contact lenses
* You are intolerant to contact lenses
* You want to participate in certain outdoor sports where using spectacles or contact lenses may be a problem
* You plan to join certain professions wherein excellent uncorrected visual acuity is a prerequisite.
mportant!!
Although Lasik is an excellent procedure for low and moderate refractive errors, it may not totally remove the needof using glasses in everybody. However, it definitely decreases the dependence on glasses for day to day work.

Answered by Mohd Farooq , an ibibo Master, at 12:14 PM on June 29, 2008

Are you talking about LASIK eye surgery? LASIK or Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis is a type of vision correction surgery which uses a laser to perform surgery of the cornea of the eye. We can not give a generalised view on this surgery as helpful or not as the same surgery is helpful for some whereas not helpful for others. So, before going for a LASIK surgery, we should be aware of the facts those can make us a good candidate. LASIK surgery is a biological procedure and the human body may or may not accept it.
Commonly, LASIK surgery is very successful. The amount of long term complications are less than half a percent compared to other methods of surgeries. Still, we should be aware of the complications that may result out of a LASIK surgery before opting it. They are: Blurred vision(may be temorary or long term), Loss of eyesight or get worsen than before, Over correction or under correction, Inability to drive at night due to night blindness.
Contrary to the above, LASIK surgery has given people with eyesight with as good as 20/20 vision and given a chance to see without using glasses or contact lenses. So we have to take the risk whether to go for LASIK surgery or not. I suggest, if your eyesight is affecting your day to day life, than you should opt for LASIK and take the risk as the complications if somehow you get out of the surgery can be corrected with other surgical procedures.

Answered by MRIDUL BORA , an ibibo Master, at 5:35 PM on April 26, 2008