The Top 5 LASIK Eye Surgery Risk Issues

The most notable LASIK eye surgery risk comes from the fact that the procedure was first approved only in 1998, making it a very new technology. Therefore, no one can tell LASIK’s long term safety, nor can long term effectiveness be evaluated.

As such, there are certain possibilities that a potential LASIK surgery patient must be prepared to accept. We have outlined these issues below.

Irritating or Debilitating Side Effects

There is the risk that you may see halos or starbursts, especially around bright lights at night. You may also experience glare or double vision. This can lead to poor night vision.

These complications are most likely due to the difference between the treated (by laser) and untreated part of the cornea. Those with large pupils are susceptible to theses post-op symptoms. However, the technology is available so that those with large pupils can be properly treated.

Over- or Under-corrected Vision.

The percentage of patients who achieve 20/20 vision varies across clinics and doctors—and it is difficult to accurately assess any physician’s claims. However, general LASIK statistics indicate that:

1. Mildly myopic LASIK patients will achieve 20/40 vision or better
   


2. For the moderately myopic
   
   • 98% will achieve 20/40 or better
   
   
   • 82% will achieve 20/20 vision or better
   
   


3. For the severely myopic
   
   • 99% will achieve 20/40 vision or better
   
   
   • 69% will achieve 20/20 or better without glasses
   
   


4. For the extremely myopic, the enhancement rate is 12% to 15%. The LASIK surgery risk here is that the procedure may be limited due to corneal steepness or thickness and this risk must be thoroughly discussed between doctor and patient.
   


5. For the hyperopic (using VISX STAR2 laser)
   
   • 91% will achieve 20/40 or better
   
   
   • 53% will achieve 20/20
   
   

Hyperopic patients displayed slightly longer healing time and a slightly higher chance that additional LASIK surgery will be needed.

The percentage of LASIK patients not able to see 20/20 or 20/40 still needed contact lenses or glasses after surgery. Moreover, if you used reading glasses pre-LASIK surgery there is a very good possibility that you will still need them post-LASIK.

Lost Lines of Vision.

There exists the LASIK surgery risk that you may lose some lines of vision (e.g., peripheral) and that this may not be corrected with contact lenses, glasses, or even additional LASIK procedures.

Severely Dry, Uncomfortable Eyes.

Another LASIK surgery risk is the possibility that the procedure will cause an underproduction of tears. Not only will this mean discomfort, it can also lead to blurred vision. Moreover, it can be permanent. LASIK surgery risk for dry eye syndrome is as follows:

• 28% for Asian eyes


• 5% for Caucasian eyes

Subconjunctival Hemorrhage.

This is a fairly common LASIK surgery risk with approximately 10.5% of LASIK patients displaying this symptom. However, unlike the rest, this is a minor complication and is not a symptom of infection (which LASIK surgery risk is 1 in 10,000 patients) or any other serious condition.