Archive for May, 2009
What Are The Side Effects of Laser Eye Treatment?
by Mathew in Laser Eye Treatment
Many people are justifiably concerned about the side effects of laser eye treatment. After all, vision is the key to taking in and responding to the world, so it pays to be very careful with your eyesight. Therefore, if you are considering having laser eye treatments you will want to look at the statistics and evaluate your own personal risk factors.
First and foremost, you will want to separate the facts from the fiction. Searching the Internet for data on the side effects of laser treatment for eyes will often lead you to websites with a specific agenda to promote. Do not trust data from attorney’s websites, “victim” sites that ask for donations, or unmoderated public bulletin boards. Many of these sites will be pushing you to a course of action which either directly benefits them or unnecessarily alarms you.
A much better option is to seek out information from industry watchdogs, professional medical societies, patient advocacy groups or government reporting agencies. The US Food and Drug Administration, the American Association of Professional Eye Care Specialists, or USAeyes, a leading patient advocacy group, are all good sources of information on side effects. They will all provide you with up to date and factual information you can use to make an intelligent and informed decision about your level of risk and best course of action.
Once you have separated out the myths and deceptions, you can look objectively at the potential side effects you will need to take into account before deciding to have your eyes done. The most common side effects are (not in order of prevalence):
- Sensitivity to light
- Visual fluctuations
- Dry eye
- Glare
- Ghosting
- Halos around light sources (especially at night)
- Headaches
- Double vision
- Loss of vision
- Infection
- Scratchiness and/or irritation
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, only 1% – 5% of patients experience any level of complication or side effect from the surgery. The American Journal of Ophthalmology reported in a study from March of 2006 that the most common side effect was dry eye, which was experienced by 36.6% of patients. However, many dry eye symptoms were caused by the healing process and cleared up completely by six months after surgery.
Some patients do have heightened risk factors for side effects from laser eye treatment that will need to be taken into account. Severe vision impairment, diabetes and chronic dry eye prior to surgery can all change the outcomes of the surgery. Interestingly enough, extremely large pupils are also a contributing factor to many of light sensitivity and glaring/ghosting side effects, so be sure to discuss this with your doctor prior to surgery as compensating operating strategies can be employed to mitigate this risk.
Is Laser Eye Treatment Permanent?
by Mathew in Laser Eye Treatment
Laser eye treatment is permanent, but its effects are not. That one simple sentence sums up the hope and the frustration inherent in vision improvement surgeries. You go to the doctor to have your vision fixed, enjoy the benefits for a time, and then wake up one day noticing that the world has gone a bit fuzzy around the edges. What is going on?
Changes Over Time
For 9 out of 10 people, the problem has nothing to do with the laser eye treatment you paid for when you were in your 20’s or 30’s. The issue is with your eye. As the eye ages, it becomes less flexible, and this changes its abilities to refract light and give a clear picture of the world.
Laser eye treatments can address refractive imperfections caused by the shape of your eye. By reshaping the cornea, the clarity of your vision can be improved. The effects of this reshaping are permanent. A topographical map of your eye will show you the differences, and you will need to modify your ophthalmological screenings for glaucoma and cataracts as a result of your treatment.
However, the refractive analysis that your ophthalmologist did at the time of your surgery was designed to give you the best vision possible for the current state of your eyes for your age. As your eyes age, your refractive analysis may become less applicable to your vision. You will notice this as a gradual blurring, especially of distant objects, as distance vision goes first.
Preserving Your Vision
What can be done? At the moment, there is little that can be done to reverse the effects of aging of vision. LASIK surgery is very limited in its potential for touch ups, although PRK/LASEK offers more opportunity for follow-up work. However, like any cosmetic surgery, there reaches a point beyond which things are simply not going to get any better looking.
Glasses and contact solutions are good compensating options. Depending on the way your cornea healed after your surgery, you may not be able to wear just any brand of contact. Some contacts require certain curvatures to provide a good fit to your eye. Have a thorough discussion with your doctor about the best options for the health of your eye—laser eye treatments coupled with contacts can limit oxygen flow to your cornea, and you will want to ensure you continue to get enough oxygen to your eye to maximize your remaining vision.
Additionally, discuss with your eye doctor any supplements you may want to take to feed your eye as you age to keep your vision strong. There are a number of products on the market, but not all are effective. However, your doctor should be able to recommend a budget-friendly product that will help you get the best vision from your eyes as you continue to age.