LASIK Side Effects
Chicago, Illinois
LASIK eye surgery is consistently recognized as one of the safest, most predictable, and most effective types of surgery available today. However, like any surgery, there is always the potential for certain side effects and complications. It is important to realize that these side effects are significantly minimized when surgery is performed by an experienced Laser Vision Correction surgeon like Dr. Golden after a comprehensive evaluation has been completed. Dr. Golden will only perform LASIK vision correction surgery on patients who he thinks are ideal candidates.
During your initial LASIK screening, you will have the opportunity to openly discuss your expectations and concerns about surgery. At Doctors For Visual Freedom, we believe in full disclosure and keeping our patients informed about every step of the process, so they can take confidence in choosing LASIK.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Setting reasonable expectations about what LASIK can accomplish is important. Eye LASIK surgery permanently changes the curvature of your cornea, but this does not mean you will have perfect vision for life. Your eyes will continue to change as you age; this is unavoidable.
For the majority of people, this change will not be great enough to require additional treatments for distance vision correction, but you can expect to eventually need reading glasses later in life. Some patients might even require a thin pair of eyeglasses for important distance activities, such as night driving.
Potential Side Effects of LASIK
Some of the side effects that can occur after LASIK vision correction surgery include:
- Undercorrection and overcorrection – Sometimes, an individual’s eyes may not respond in a completely average way when a specific amount and shape of laser energy is applied to correct their eyes. This can result in an undercorrection or overcorrection. In most cases, this is a temporary side effect that will subside on its own. In the rare case that it becomes permanent, Dr. Golden can treat it with an enhancement procedure.
- Induced astigmatism – It is highly unusual, but possible for astigmatism to be induced after a LASIK procedure, resulting in post-operative blurring. This can be easily managed with an overcorrection or undercorrection retreatment. Most small degrees of astigmatism are hardly noticed by patients, and can even enhance their vision in some cases.
- Dry eyes – It is normal for patients to feel a “sandy” or gritty sensation in their eyes following LASIK. This tends to subside over the first 3-4 months. Dr. Golden will recommend the use of Restasis to increase tear productions and suggest the frequent use of lubricating eye drops for use after LASIK to help your eyes heal and minimize the symptoms of dry eye.
- Corneal abrasion – Even with a moistened eye and excellent surgical technique, it is still possible for your cornea to develop a small abrasion during LASIK. If this occurs, an extremely thin bandage contact lens will be placed on your eye to promote healing and improve comfort. This is usually removed in 1 to 3 days, since your ephithelium grows back quickly.
- Night glare and halos – Some patients experience night vision issues, such as halos or ghosting images, for the first month or so following LASIK. With the Custom WaveFront laser that Dr.Golden uses, permanent glare is extremely unlikely. Most patients that have glare after LASIK, find that their symptoms improve with the use of lubricating tear drops. he vast majority of significant night glare problems will resolve completely after six months. If problems do persist, patients can benefit from the use of eye drops at night to reduce their pupil size.
If you have further questions about potential LASIK side effects, please contact our experienced Chicago Laser eye surgeons today to schedule your free personal consultation. Doctors For Visual Freedom has two offices in Illinois: one in downtown Chicago, and one in Arlington Heights.
Two Locations:
Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
875 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1550
Chicago, IL 60611 | Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center
2010 S Arlington Heights Rd, Suite 121
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 |
