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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffAs with any surgery, LASIK eye surgery carries risks, including:
- Undercorrections. If the laser removes too little tissue from your eye, you won't get the clearer vision results you were hoping for. Undercorrections are more common for people who are nearsighted. You may need another refractive surgery (enhancement surgery) within a year to remove more tissue.
- Overcorrections. It's also possible that the laser will remove too much tissue from your eye. Overcorrections may be more difficult to fix than undercorrections.
- Astigmatism. Astigmatism can be caused by uneven tissue removal. This sometimes occurs if your eye moves too much during surgery. It may require additional surgery.
- Glare, halos and double vision. After surgery you may have difficulty seeing at night. You might notice glare, halos around bright lights or double vision. Sometimes these problems can be treated with eyedrops that contain a type of corticosteroid, but a second surgery may be required.
- Dry eyes. For the first six months or so after your surgery, as your eyes heal they might feel unusually dry. Your eye doctor might recommend that you use eyedrops during this time. If you experience severe dry eye, you could opt for another procedure to get special plugs put in your tear ducts to prevent your tears from draining away from the surface of your eyes.
- Flap problems. Folding back or removing the flap from the front of your eye during surgery can cause complications, including infection, excess tears and swelling. The outermost corneal tissue layer (epithelium) may grow abnormally underneath the flap removed during surgery.
If you're considering LASIK eye surgery, talk to your doctor about your questions and concerns. He or she can explain how the surgery might benefit you and help put the risks in perspective.
References
- Bower KS. Laser refractive surgery. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Sakimoto T, et al. Laser eye surgery for refractive errors. The Lancet. 2006;367:1432.
- Doane JF, et al. LASIK: Indications and techniques. In: Yanoff M, et al. Ophthalmology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby, Inc.; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/109505671-2/0/1197/24.html?tocnode=50819839&fromURL=24.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01634-0..50024-9_519. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Wavefront-guided LASIK. American Academy of Ophthalmology. http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZ5NVRIREE&sub_cat=0. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- What should I expect before, during, and after surgery? U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/LASIK/expect.htm. Accessed Nov. 4, 2008.
- Schallhorn SC, et al. Perspective: Avoidance, recognition, and management of LASIK complications. American Journal of Ophthalmology. 2006;141:733.
