Understanding the Risks of LASIK Surgery
Primary Eye Care Associates is proud to serve the greater Chicago area, helping patients see better and have healthy eyes overall. In a number of instances, that means undergoing LASIK surgery, a great solution for refractive errors.
Even though LASIK routinely gives patients great vision and has a patient satisfaction rate above the 90 percent range, there are risks to the procedure that have to be considered.
Knowing the Risks Is Crucial Before Undergoing LASIK
Before undergoing any kind of surgery, it's crucial that you learn the risks and potential complications of the procedure. This will give you realistic expectations about the treatment you will undergo and help prepare you for the overall recovery process.
You will learn about all of the potential risks and benefits in greater detail during your visit to the practice.
Risk of Infection
Infection is a risk associated with all forms of surgery, and LASIK is no exception. Thanks to advances in laser technology, the likelihood of infection following LASIK has gone down immensely. It is highly unlikely that you will experience an eye infection during the actual procedure, though your eyes may become infected afterward if you are not careful.
Overcorrection/Undercorrection
Overcorrection and undercorrection are both complications that affect overall vision quality.
Undercorrection means that not enough of the corneal surface was properly reshaped. A secondary LASIK procedure tends to be the ideal treatment for this complication.
Overcorrection means that too much of the corneal surface was reshaped during the LASIK procedure. The only viable treatment for this complication is to wear corrective lenses to makeup for the flawed correction.
Corneal Flap Complications
Corneal flap complications are among the more serious types of complications that may arise after undergoing LASIK. During the surgery, a flap is created on the corneal surface so the cornea can be reshaped with a laser. When the flap is set down and does not heal properly, this is a flap complication. These kinds of LASIK complications can be quite uncomfortable, and it can lead to vision problems going forward.
Dry Eye Syndrome
After undergoing LASIK, it's common for patients to experience issues with dry eye. This is because tear production is altered from the creation of the corneal flap and the reshaping of the cornea. For most patients, the dry eye is temporary and comes and goes for several months. In rare instances, a patient may experience significant and long-lasting dry eye that can be extremely uncomfortable.
How to Prevent LASIK Complications
The best way to reduce the potential for complications after LASIK surgery is to follow all of your pre-op and post-op instructions to the letter. These set up the ideal conditions for healing that will make complications less likely and improve the overall recovery process.
Contact Our Practice About LASIK Surgery
For more information about LASIK and how it can help you achieve excellent vision, be sure to contact our laser eye surgery center today. The team at Primary Eye Care Associates will help you make the best choices about your eyesight as well as the health of your eyes.
