LASIK Complications

When LASIK Goes Wrong- LASIK Complications

Like any surgery, there have been cases documented where the LASIK procedure has gone wrong. But how severe have these blunders been? And how often do these LASIK complications occur?

Luckily, major LASIK complications are rare. Statistically LASIK success rates have been increasing steady over the last decade. Ten years ago, the rate of LASIK patients that experienced side effects was 5%. The current statistic is roughly 1% or patients, and with millions of citizens getting the procedure don every year, that’s not a very troubling statistic at all.

However, it still is important to know what CAN go wrong when considering whether or not the procedure is right for you, and below some of the potential complications are reviewed.

Cornea Flap LASIK Complications

During the surgery, a flap of the cornea is cut and peeled back to allow easy access for the laser to reshape the eye. Occasionally, this flap is cut incorrectly which can cause several kinds of issues. For example, when the flap is reapplied it may begin to form microscopic wrinkles called corneal striae. These wrinkles can have negative effects on the eye’s healing process and may require another treatment to prevent further LASIK complications. Some of the more severe complications are listed in detail below.

Keratoconus & Keratectasia- caused by the cornea flap being cut too deep. The result of this erroneous cut can include a sort of bulging of the eye’s surface as well as distorted vision.

Irregular Astigmatism- caused by the laser correction treatment not being centered properly on the eye. This error can result in double vision and may need additional treatment for correction.

Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis- while some swelling of the eye is expected after the procedure, this LASIK complication is an excessive inflammatory reaction. This can result in some major damage to the eye including total vision loss!

Other LASIK Complications

There are some other LASIK complications that can occur that stem from incomplete laser corrections. One result of incomplete treatment can be a regression effect, which has your vision slowly revert back to its status before the procedure was performed.

One final LASIK complication can of course be infection. Infection may result from an improper conclusion to treatment and can usually be identified by constant redness of the eye and an oozing or discharge. These complications need to be treated right away, and can be taken care of by a standard, licensed optometrist.

Are LASIK Complications Worth the Risk?

As stated above, any surgical procedure is bound to have risks. However, the percentage of successful procedures deems this particular surgery safer than most. The LASIK complications stated above are present strictly for informational purposes in the rare event that something does go wrong after a laser eye procedure is completed. To get a free medical evaluation and to receive more information regarding LASIK procedures (like whether you’ll have to wear contact lenses after LASIK) fill out our contact form now.