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Facts for Patients Considering Laser Surgery
For Vision Correction:
Thinking Out the Choices
By Dr. Ernest Loewenstein
Laser surgery for vision correction has been with
us since about 1995. Some two million patients have undergone the
procedure with a very high rate of success and satisfaction.
There are two common types of procedure - Both
involve removal of tissue from the cornea, the thin transparent
structure that lies at the front of the eye and covers the iris
and pupil, which can be seen through it.
PhotoRefractive Keratectomy or PRK - The first
procedure approved by the FDA, in which material is removed from
the front surface of the cornea. It is effective and is still done
but is not the preferred procedure. Some patients experience pain
for a few days after PRK. Pain medication and a steroid are usually
prescribed.
LASer In-Situ Keratomileusis or LASIK - The second
procedure involves lifting a thin flap of the cornea and removing
some tissue of the mid cornea. The flap is then laid back down and
adheres without any sutures. There is less post-operative pain with
LASIK and usually no prescribed medication. Some patients have long
lasting dryness of the eyes.
No guarantees - Neither procedure guarantees you
can "throw away your glasses." Here's why:
- It is not always possible to reduce the correction precisely
to zero
- The cornea may change with time, making glasses necessary later
- The correction is usually for distance vision and glasses may
be needed for reading and other near tasks
- Post-Operative Risks - the most common is a reduction in the
sharpness of vision that cannot be improved by any eyeglass or
contact lens. Some patients also experience increased glare from
oncoming headlights, sometimes serious enough to make night driving
hazardous.
- Successful, but -Though the surgery has a high success rate,
it is important to think about the possible downside. This is
cosmetic surgery and what's on the line is your vision. If there's
an unhappy outcome, how will you feel about sacrificing reasonably
good vision for the ability to read the alarm clock on the bedside
table without putting your glasses on?
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