Problems are common in any medical surgeries, whatever the technology use or Doctor’s experience in the surgical field. side effects may occure because of patient’s health at the time of LASIK laser surgery, patient’s history of health habits, immunity, healing rate and individual’s varying susceptibility to complications. In a report on the complications of LASIK in the issue of survey of Ophthalmology it was stated that preventing and managing LASIK complications has become a challenging task for an ophthalmic surgeon.
Eye Flap Complications: LASIK procedure is associated with complications in the creation and replacement of the hinged flap. During the procedure, the surgeon slices a thin layer of the eye covering to lift for re-shaping of the eye and after that replaces once the laser blades treat the area. If the flap is not precisely cut, if it is too thin or thick, it may not adhere to the eye’s surface during replacement. Sometimes, after the flap is brought back on the eye’s surface, it may form microscopic wrinkles known as Corneal Striae, that results in an irregularly shaped cornea. The patient has to undergo an enhancement surgery to treat this problem.
Irregular astigmatism: This is one among the side effects of LASIK procedures. This happens when the laser-assisted correction is not done properly or when the correction is not centered properly on the eye. This problem is also noted to arise due to less than smooth corneal surface. The more uneven the surface created by laser, bigger is the image distortion. Patient’s with this complication would experience double vision or ‘ghost images’ and may need rectifying surgery. LASIK procedure induced irregular astigmatism results in the loss of two or more lines of best corrected visual acuity. The major problem associated with irregular astigmatism is that spectacles will not give improved vision and one will need a rigid, gas-permeable contact lens. Thus LASIK induced irregular astigmatism is difficult to correct.
Infections: There is also a risk of infection of the eye after the LASIK surgery for some patients. This is more common when the patient has a low immunity or if there was a procedure induced infection. If the infection is not discovered until the late stages, the patient may have to undergo another surgery to remove the flap to treat the infection. The infection leaves a permanent scar in the corneal bed and results in corneal transplant. Untreated infection may enter the eye and can result to vision loss.
Keratectasia: These Lasik Eye Surgery Complications may arise when the flap is cut too deeply or when too much corneal tissue is removed during the LASIK procedure. It leads to weakening and bulging of the cornea and results in permanently distorted vision. Correction of distorted vision cannot be done with laser enhancement and requires gas-permeable contact lens or corneal implants may be suggested to hold the cornea in place. This also occurs among patients who have been detected with an underlying weak cornea prior to LASIK and still proceeds with the surgery.
Sands of Sahara : This problem occurs as a result of excessive inflammation between the flap and corneal bed. This condition interferes with the healing of the cornea and may cause loss of vision. Patients are treated with antibiotics and potent steroidal eye drops to treat the condition. If patient does not respond to this treatment the flap is raised in order to clean the inner side and the surface of corneal bed. The inflammatory cells are rinsed and removed to prevent tissue damage. The flap is then repositioned to prevent corneal melt and irregular astigmatism.
What are the 19 Must-ask Tough Questions to ask your LASIK Surgeon? Read in Donna Healer’s recent book on Lasik Eye Surgery Risks.