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Does LASIK have any side effects?
LASIK is one of the safest, most effective and predictable types of surgery one can have today. However, LASIK is surgery, and as with any type of surgery, there are side effects that patients should be aware of and fully understand before consenting to have LASIK.
The most common side effect of LASIK is dry eyes. It usually lasts three to six months and can be treated with medicated eye drops. Some patients may develop severe dry eye syndrome. As a result of surgery, your eye may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist and comfortable. Dry eye not only causes discomfort, but also can reduce vision due to intermittent blurring and other visual symptoms. This condition may be permanent. Intensive drop therapy and use of plugs or other procedures may be required. Other possible side effects of LASIK are halos around lights, particularly at night, reduced vision due to glare from lights or the sun and a scratchy sensation due to dry eyes after LASIK surgery. The under or over correction of the vision error is possible and may require additional surgery. Pink or red spots on the white of the eye may be visible after LASIK surgery.
Severe side effects are less common but still possible. As with most surgical procedures, infection and inflammation may occur requiring antibiotics or even another surgery. A problem with the corneal flap such as wrinkles or a shifted flap, although rare, could require surgical treatment. There is a small chance that, even after additional surgery, vision will be worse than it was before surgery.
Your chances of experiencing side effects from LASIK eye surgery increase if you already suffer from certain eye conditions such as dry eye, Keratoconus (deterioration of the cornea), thin corneas, and previous eye surgeries. Other health issues also can contribute to problems with LASIK surgery. A comprehensive evaluation for complicating conditions should be completed before undergoing the operation.
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LASIK Recovery Info
Immediately after LASIK surgery go home and rest. If you are uncomfortable, you can take 2 Advil or 2 Tylenol. Begin using your drops when you arrive home (as directed). You will be more comfortable with your eyes closed, but it’s okay to peek. Don’t worry if your eyes are tearing, this is a natural response and the tears are soothing and aid the healing of your eyes. Do Not Rub Your Eyes!
Expect your vision to fluctuate during the 2-3 weeks following surgery. You may experience dimming of your vision in the evening or light sensitivity or glare. These symptoms and any discomfort you may have will grow less each day. Get plenty of rest.
Do no get anything in your eyes for the first three days. Avoid eye makeup, gardening and dusty, dirty environments for one week. You may wash your face, shower and shampoo your hair 24 hours after your procedure, but keep your eyes closed so no soapy water gets in your eyes.
You will see your post-op doctor one day after surgery. Your eyes may be somewhat sore and the vision may be blurry, but these symptoms will improve with time. The redness and irritation will subside in one or two days.
You will use eye drops for seven days following surgery. The drops may sting on instillation. Wash your hands before instilling drops and do not touch the dropper bottle to your eye. Wait five minutes between drops. Use preservative free artificial tears every two hours for the first week.
For two weeks after surgery, avoid swimming, hot tubs, saunas or any other contact with possibly contaminated water. You may resume jogging, with weight lifting and/or aerobics one week after surgery, but do not increase your level of exercise for two weeks.
Do not rub your eyes for two months and avoid contact or racquet sports for one month after surgery. Please make sure you go to all your post-operative appointments.
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Patients happier with LASIK than with Contacts
SAN DIEGO — Patient satisfaction with LASIK is better than that with contact lenses, results from a new survey suggest.
“We were surprised to see that it made their night vision better,” said Francis Price Jr, MD, an ophthalmologist practicing in Indianapolis, who presented the survey results here at the World Cornea Congress.
The research team could find no studies that compared LASIK with a realistic control group. “We think there’s been a movement to compare LASIK with a perfect eye, which probably doesn’t exist,” Dr Price said.
The lack of data makes it hard for patients to decide whether they would benefit from the procedure.
“This study sets an appropriate benchmark for LASIK by comparing it with a popular alternative: contact lenses,” he reported.
Dr Price and his colleagues surveyed 1815 adults younger than 60 years to evaluate satisfaction with their method of vision correction; 1111 were planning to undergo LASIK and 704 wore contact lens, most of which were soft. Participants completed the survey at baseline and then at yearly intervals for 2 years.
The proportion of participants in the LASIK group reporting moderate to severe difficulty driving at night decreased over the follow-up period, from 14% at 1 year to 7% at 2 years.
In the contact lens group, there was little change in the degree of satisfaction with the vision-correction method over the 2-year follow-up period.
People who wore glasses and then underwent LASIK surgery were more likely to report dry eyes. However, Dr Price reported, 75% of those wearing glasses had tried contact lenses before LASIK but reverted to glasses because of dry eye.
“I think dry eyes overall are underappreciated,” said Dr Price.
Dr Price did not report the statistical significance of any of the findings.
“I think this was a good comparison,” said session discussant Stephen Kaufman, MD, from New York Downstate Medical Center in New York City.
He told Medscape Medical News that he wasn’t surprised to see that LASIK improved night vision because glasses can produce glare, and both glasses and contacts can get dirty.
LASIK doesn’t deserve the reputation it has for causing poor night vision, he said. “The technology has improved,” he explained. In fact, “the technology is fantastic.”
This study was funded by the 23 participating practices and the Cornea Research Foundation of America. Dr Price reports financial relationships with Alphaeon, Calhoun Vision, Interactive Medical Publishing, RevitalVision, STAAR Surgical, and TearLab. Dr Kaufman has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
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Where do you go for LASIK Surgery?
Where Do You Go for Houston LASIK Surgery?
There are many places that offer LASIK surgery in Houston, but how do you know which center is good for you? One of the first things to look for is the doctor. In Houston, LASIK surgery is performed by many ophthalmologists, but the ones with the right credentials are the ones you want to visit. Having board-certified LASIK eye surgeons on staff is good to know if you are thinking about finding a place in Houston where LASIK surgery is available. That means the doctors have studied a specific discipline and have demonstrated their ability in that particular area. A board-certified doctor is much more trustworthy and has shown they have the necessary skills to perform their duties at the highest level.
Also, their experience in performing surgery for LASIK is important as well. If the doctors have performed about 40,000 operations, then that says they know what they are doing and have accrued many testimonials that will tell you about their skills as a doctor.
You might also want to see if Houston-area eye doctors refer their patients to a particular LASIK surgeon. This shows that family eye doctors place enough of their trust in the surgeon to send their own patients there. These local eye doctors should give you their honest opinion about who you should go to in Houston for LASIK surgery. Their business could suffer if they send you to the wrong doctor, so the chances of them giving you the right information are pretty high.
The equipment LASIK surgeons use is another factor to consider when choosing a place in Houston for LASIK surgery. Using the latest, most technologically advanced tools for LASIK surgery should be commonplace because equipment on this level will turn out the best results. The VISX CustomVue Star 4 laser is a type of tool used in LASIK surgery for reshaping the cornea. It is stationary, and therefore more reliable than mobile equipment. Also, IntraLase lasers are another tool that expert LASIK surgeons use (note: many LASIK centers that advertise LASIK for $499/eye do not offer this technology). The IntraLase laser is a bladeless laser that uses cool laser light to cut the flap needed for the surgery and it performs the incision precisely.
If you are looking for a place in Houston where LASIK surgery is performed at the most professional and compassionate levels, come to The Eye Center of Texas. Dr. Edward Wade and Dr. Mark Mayo are two of the nation’s top LASIK surgeons and combined have performed over 60,000 LASIK surgeries.
Come and find out if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery today!
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Cost of LASIK Surgery
At Eye Center of Texas, we are committed to offering only the highest quality and most comprehensive eye care available. Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade are two of the top LASIK surgeons in Houston. If you are tired of relying on glasses or contact lenses for vision correction, you should consider LASIK surgery. When you make the decision to have LASIK surgery, you should consider a LASIK surgeon that has experience and only uses the latest in LASIK technology. Combined, Drs. Mayo and Wade have performed over 60,000 LASIK procedures and they only offer bladeless custom LASIK. If you think LASIK is too expensive, you should know that the cost of LASIK surgery is more affordable than ever. At Eye Center of Texas, we offer several financing options, including several interest fee options through Care Credit.
LASIK Eye Surgery is a Worthwhile Investment
LASIK eye surgery is an investment that will last you a lifetime and one that is much more affordable than one may think. For most, the cost of LASIK surgery is actually a great value. After the procedure, you should no longer require glasses or contacts and all the maintenance and costs that come with these items. And for those that dream of the day of waking up without having to reach for their glasses in order to see the alarm clock – LASIK surgery provides not only incredible value that will last you a lifetime, but convenience as well.
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April is Women’s Eye Health Month
Did you know women are more likely to suffer from visual impairments like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts than men? According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), out of the 3.6 million Americans over 40 who suffer from optical damage or injury (including blindness) 2.3 million are women.
For women age 40 and older it’s recommended that you have a dilated eye exam. It’s also important to have a dilated eye exam any time a change in vision is detected.
Other things you can do to help maintain good vision:
- Don’t Smoke– Smoking significantly increases the risk of complications with certain eye diseases, especially in women.
- Monitor your vision – Check it often, and check it one eye at a time. If you notice a change in your vision, please notify your eye doctor right away.
- Eat a well balanced diet – Eat leafy green vegetables, oily fish, and fruits. Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in slowing down the progression of many eye diseases.
- Exercise – This will aid in maintaining a healthy weight and good cardiovascular health. Obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to specific vision complications.
- Control your diabetes – Uncontrolled diabetes can cause permanent damage to eye structures.
- Wear sunglasses
- Educate yourself – About the possibility of a family history of eye disease and about eye diseases associated with your general health issues.
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Why is the LASIK Evaluation Important?
Get Qualified With a LASIK Evaluation
LASIK candidates are determined by a thorough LASIK evaluation. LASIK evaluations at Eye Center of Texas include multiple scans of your eye to match your exact vision traits. The entire process takes around 2 hours. Our doctors consider every aspect of your vision and lifestyle, taking into account what is best for you. We know that the best way for you to have great outcome is to assure you are a good LASIK candidate.
Determining if You’re a LASIK Candidate
Not two eyes are the same. First, we must ensure that you are a good candidate for LASIK, PRK and/or Visian ICL. We look at these key factors to see if LASIK is right for you:
- The thickness of your cornea.
- The health of your eye.
- The amount of refraction error.
Visit Eye Center of Texas today for a Free LASIK Evaluation. It’s time well spent if you want to know if LASIK is right for you.
Call Eye Center of Texas at 713-395-1515. Our LASIK counselors, Steve and Kathy can answer any additional questions you may have. Our LASIK and Visian ICL evaluations are both free.
Want to learn more about LASIK? Our Houston LASIK & eye care team wants to help you get the best vision care possible. Check out some of our recent vision care blog posts, including: Can you read & watch TV after LASIK? ICL vs. LASIK: a quick guide, Can LASIK correct both near and far vision? Before LASIK surgery, how you can prepare, and What are the prescription limits for LASIK?
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March is National Eye Donor Month
There’s a critical shortage of organs, tissues and eyes available for donation. There are more than 113,000 patients in the United States awaiting transplantation—more than 11,000 are Texans. Every 10 minutes, a new name is added to the national transplant waiting list.
Organ, eye and tissue transplants offer patients a new chance at healthy, productive and normal lives, and return them to their families, friends and communities. The Donate Life Texas Registry is a database of individuals who have officially provided authorization to donate organs, tissues or eyes upon their deaths. You may register as a donor at www.donatelifetexas.org, or at your local Department of Public Safety (DPS) office when you apply for or renew your driver’s license or identification card or through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when you renew your vehicle’s registration.
You have the power to donate life…be an organ, eye and tissue donor!
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How Safe Is LASIK?
While no surgery is risk-free, keep in mind that over 14,000,000 Americans have already had LASIK and that number is steadily increasing each year. Experienced LASIK surgeons report a complication rate well under 1%. Many ophthalmologist and optometrist believe the long-term risk of wearing contact lenses is as much as 5 times higher than the one-tie risk of LASIK.
Sometimes LASIK can cause dry eye for three to six months. This and other side effects can be minimized by thorough pre and post-operative follow-up care. That’s why we will schedule follow-up appointments for you at one day, one week, one month, three months and six months after surgery.
The most important thing to remember is the selection of an experienced LASIK surgeon. Make sure you look for someone who has worked on multiple patients using various LASIK techniques. Don’t be shy about asking for a referral and someone’s credentials. Dr. Mark Mayo and Dr. Edward Wade have performed more than 60,000 successful Houston LASIK procedures and more than 275 Houston area eye doctors trust their patients to Eye Center of Texas.
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Fighter Pilots can have iLASIK
In 2007 Air Force officials changed the policy to allow people applying for aviation and aviation-related jobs to have had LASIK vision correction. Due to stresses placed on the eyes during flight combined with the active lifestyle of military members, the recommended refractive surgeries are wavefront-guided PRK, or wavefront-guided Bladeless LASIK (iLASIK).
If U.S. Navel Fighter Pilots can have iLASIK…this should give you a feeling of comfort and safety like never before!
Thumbs up for Blade-Free iLASIK!
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