Saturday, April 10, 2010

Potential Complications of LASIK Surgery

Dec.14, 2009 inLaser Eye Surgery

While side effects are a necessary and accepted part of any surgical procedure, and most patients are completely prepared for the risk of short-term problems as a result of their surgery, it is important to be aware of the difference between a side effect and a complication. Laser Eye Surgery is no exception to this rule, and in the aftermath of LASIK surgery it is important to pay close attention to the condition of your eyes. While some downside is expected in the immediate aftermath, persistent problems need to be referred to a doctor.

One potential complication that occurs after LASIK surgery for a minority of patients is Severe Dry Eye Syndrome. While the procedure is considered to be among the safest surgical operations you can undergo, everyone’s eyes are different. What appears to be the correct treatment may not have the desired effect, and some LASIK operations have the unexpected effect of preventing the tear ducts from producing the necessary amount of moisture to keep the eyes protected from dust and impurities. Some dryness is expected for a few days afterwards, but if it is persistent then you will need to consult a physician.

It is also possible, although by no means likely, that the aftermath of LASIK surgery will include some loss of vision. Again, in the immediate aftermath it is inevitable that your vision will be compromised, but the longer it goes on the more likely it is that you will need to have follow-up surgery. The requirement for follow-up surgery is not common, but it is wise to clarify in advance with your surgeon what the procedure is if you find that the problems persist.

One other complication that may occur is a change to how you see things through reading glasses. This can be permanent, and in such cases it is important to weigh up whether the overall improvement in your vision is worth the difference when you wear reading glasses. It may require a simple change to the nature of glasses that you wear, but there may well be no need to have any further surgery.

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How Much Does Eye Surgery Cost ?

Laser eye surgery cost varies depending upon the type of surgery you want and where you want it doing.

Most clinics offer standard LASIK treatment starting at £395, with wavefront guided treatment starting from £795, however this price can be misleading.

When clinics say the price starts at £395 it is almost likely that isn’t what you will end up paying, unless you have a very low prescription and require little correction.

Generally, the more correction your eye requires, the more expensive your treatment will be. Other clinics choose to list prices as a one off price that stays the same no matter what your correction needs.

It is important that you choose a clinic you feel comfortable with, which has not only a good price, but well trained and experienced ophthalmologists.



There are a number of different procedures that are essentially modified LASIK operations. These obviously vary in price and are more expensive than the standard procedure.

The wavefront guided procedure starts from £1,500 per eye depending on where you decide to have it done.

The most expensive type of LASIK procedure is the bladeless form called Intralase. The prices for this procedure start from around £1,695 per eye.

It is important that when you go for your initial consultation to find out the prices for the different procedures. They will vary depending on the clinic, laser used and the aftercare. As always you should check to see what is included in the aftercare.



Another modified LASIK surgery procedure called Epi-LASIK is available at some clinics, depending on their size and equipment level.

On average Epi-LASIK prices start from £800 per eye including aftercare.



PRK or photo refractive keratectomy costs around £700 to £1000 per eye and should as always include sufficient aftercare.



Other corrective procedures include Laser Thermal Keratoplasty (LTK), which costs £1,000 per eye and PTK, for around £900






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Laser Eye Surgery - Is It For Me ?

Your eyes must be healthy. If you have any condition that can affect how your eyes respond to surgery or heal afterwards, you must wait until that condition is resolved. Examples are chronic dry eyes, conjunctivitis and any injury. Your eye surgeon may want to prevent dry eyes after LASIK by giving you treatment such as prescription eye drops as a precaution. Some conditions, such as cataracts that interfere with your vision, keratoconus and uncontrolled glaucoma, may disqualify you completely.

You must be an adult. By law, certain procedures require you to be 18; others, 21. Younger patients can be treated as an exception.

You must have stable vision for at least a year. Many young adults experience changes in their eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions in the teenage years. Vision stabilizes most often sometime in their 20s. Usually, it is nearsightedness that gradually becomes worse, but there may be other changes as well. Younger people are not good candidates until their eyes have "settled down" into one prescription. Your doctor can tell you whether your prescription is stable.


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Quality Of Life Improved Through Laser Eye Surgery

First Quality of Life Survey Among Laser Eye Surgery Patients Demonstrates High Satisfaction, Improved Daily Routine and Overall Quality of Life
Fairfax, VA– The vast majority of Americans who had their vision corrected by laser surgery are highly satisfied with the results and said that the overall quality of their lives and daily routines has improved, according to the results of a Harris Interactive survey released by The Eye Surgery Education Council (ESEC), the public education arm of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
The survey is the first nationwide quality of life survey assessing life implications for laser eye surgery patients. The survey asked patients to evaluate the impact of their eye surgery on the quality of their family life, careers, and sports. These survey findings, along with the ESEC’s newly updated LASIK screening guidelines, can help interested patients make educated choices by weighing the benefits and risks of laser eye surgery.
Of the approximately 3 million Americans who underwent laser eye surgery since 1995, more than 85 percent said the surgery improved their overall quality of life and 93 percent of patients said they were satisfied with the results. Among the benefits of the procedure, respondents cited improvement in several specific aspects of vision, daily living and everyday activities, including:
· Ability to see upon waking (seeing an alarm clock) (89%)

· Freedom from glasses and contacts (83%)

· Improvement in personal safety (69%)

· Increased confidence in personal appearance (65%)

· Better participation in sports or fitness activities (54%)
Specific to the surgery, 87 percent felt that the results met or exceeded their expectations and 73 percent of patients regretted that they did not have the surgery sooner. In addition to the high satisfaction rate, nearly half (47 percent) of the respondents said they began “a whole new life” after laser eye surgery.
An important aspect of the survey also focused on consumer education. Understanding risks and benefits of laser eye surgery prior to undergoing treatment is critical for patient satisfaction and an important factor in determining if a patient is an appropriate candidate. The survey findings showed that 86 percent felt they were well informed about the risks of laser eye surgery before treatment and more than half (54 percent) of respondents reported that they considered laser eye surgery for a year or more before they actually had the procedure. Significantly, those patients who reported that their expectations were not met or that they were not satisfied were also among those people who were less informed about the surgery itself or risks and benefits of the surgery.
“This kind of research is very helpful to physicians as we counsel future patients and understand the quality of life benefits for LASIK patients,” said Dr. Roger Steinert, chair of the Eye Surgery Education Council Medical Advisory Board and associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School. “The majority of the patients reported they were well informed about the procedure, which supports the importance of patient education and discussion of realistic expectations prior to having the surgery.”


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