Lasik Risks

As I’ve mentioned a time or two on this blog, I’m a big fraidy cat when it comes to doctors and surgery in general. Lasik in particular was something I was pretty nervous about before I started talking to doctors and researching the procedure. I ended up considering the risks versus the potential benefits and I was able to make the best choice for me without regret. In this post, I want to talk about some of the risks associated with lasik surgery.

One of the things I had to be comfortable with if I was ever going to have lasik surgery is the fact that the procedure is still relatively new as far as medical procedures go. That means that unlike other medical treatments or ailments, a large body of research and statistics on the long term effects of lasik eye surgery simply doesn’t exist. Lasik carries with it the risk associated with a procedure for which decades of data does not exist.

Probably the most common complaint I heard in doing my research, talking to doctors and asking people I knew who had lasik about their experiences was that they did not end up with perfect vision after the procedure. Not everyone who has lasik comes away with 20/20 vision. Even after lasik surgery, you may find yourself continuing to require glasses. You risk disappointment and possible additional treatment.

Possibly losing my vision was the biggest reservation I had about the surgery. I had nightmares about being blinded during a botched lasik procedure. Through research, I eventually came to my own conclusion about the likelihood of that happening. I also learned that some patients develop side effects that can adversely affect their vision such as seeing starbursts or halos at night. You risk possibly having unwanted side effects that could impact your vision.

Dry eye is a common side effect felt by patients after lasik surgery. How long dry eye persists and to what degree you experience it can be the difference between some normal post surgery discomfort and a longer term complication. You risk suffering from severe dry eye.

These were the risks I spent the most time learning about, discussing and considering before I made up my mind. Everyone’s circumstances, risk factors and risk tolerance level are different so you’ll need to carefully consider the risks involved with lasik surgery as they apply to your situation. Find out more by talking to your doctor at length.