The Pros and Cons of LASIK
Way back in 1999, the FDA approved LASIK to correct vision. Currently, eye doctors perform nearly 600,000 LASIK surgical procedures in the US every year. People undergoing LASIK surgery end up with 20/20 vision, and over 95 percent of people confirm they are pleased with the results.
LASIK surgery from an eye doctor near you ensures you no longer need corrective lenses. If you are tired of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may contemplate whether LASIK surgery suits your situation. LASIK is a variety of refractive eye surgery.
If you are affected by situ keratomileuses, you may undergo LASIK eye surgery to achieve a vision of 20/20 or better, which is appropriate for most activities. However, you may still need glasses when driving at night as you get older. The track record of LASIK surgery is excellent, with complications resulting in loss of vision is being rare. Some side effects undoubtedly exist, resulting in dry eyes and temporary visual disturbances. However, the difficulties generally clear up in a few weeks or months. The complications may compel you to inquire about the safety aspects of this surgical procedure. If you consider LASIK surgery, please read this article to understand whether the process is suitable for you.
The Safety of LASIK Surgery
Former FDA officials part of the original team approving LASIK have claimed the FDA downplayed the risks of this procedure and even requested FDA to withdraw approval for LASIK from the market. They received a response from the FDA that sufficient evidence wasn’t available to justify a recall promising they would keep monitoring LASIK safety. However, experts have reaffirmed that LASIK surgery is indeed safe, although some patients have reported problems.
Over the past two decades, after LASIK received approval, over 19 million people have undergone this procedure. Unfortunately, sufficient high-quality studies on the outcomes aren’t available. However, existing research confirms the findings that the procedures are safe and effective. Therefore if you are considering LASIK surgery from the Cass ST optometrist, you can inquire into the pros and cons of the process to make an informed decision. In addition, we provide you with some information on the pros and cons to make you aware of what you are getting into when considering this procedure.
The Pros of LASIK
LASIK laser-assisted in situ keratomileuses is a type of refractive surgery. If you are undergoing LASIK in Cass Street, expect the surgeon who initially cut a thin flap of tissue from the front of your eye. After that, the surgeon uses lasers to burn away the tissue and reshape the cornea to ensure light focuses better on the retina in the back of your eye. LASIK corrects vision problems like astigmatism, nearsightedness, and farsightedness.
Over 90 percent of people undergoing LASIK procedure achieve 20/20 vision helping them see from 20 feet away than people with normal vision can see without eyeglasses or contact lenses. Approximately 90 percent of people achieve 20/40 or better vision sufficiently clear to pass a driver’s license test.
Improvements over the years have made LASIK more effective than earlier. Technological advances have ensured the results improve steadily and get better over time. For example, in 2001, introducing the femtosecond laser revolutionized LASIK procedures covering higher safety and precision.
Other technological advances help create a customized map of the cornea to allow more precise vision correction and better results. The aim is to reduce high order aberrations causing glare and halos during the night.
The Cons of LASIK
LASIK has mild side effects causing dry eye, itching, and burning among 20 to 40 percent of people undergoing the procedure. The symptoms are their highest during the first three months and subside after 12 months. However, variants exist because many people report problems even years later. However, people with dry eyes also confirm they would have gone through the procedure even if they had known about the issue before the surgery stating dry eyes are a better option than having no vision.
Another problem with LASIK surgery is that the procedure may not be entirely correct your vision, significantly if you were affected by nearsightedness or farsightedness earlier. In such cases, you may need eyeglasses or contact lenses to see clearly. Fortunately, you can have another LASIK procedure after 3 to 6 months to correct your eyesight and achieve 20/20 vision.
Most of the cons associated with LASIK are temporary and a mild nuisance. However, the possibility of your vision regressing over time exists as the shape of your eyes change naturally as you age. Therefore discuss the procedure with the Cass Street optometrist before you decide whether to go or not with LASIK surgery.