Eye care

It’s a fact that laser eye surgery can change your vision and entire lifestyle for the better in 24 hours. It can also enhance your productivity in your respective field of endeavor. No matter the level of the vision disorder, laser eye surgery can correct and restore your vision to a perfect state, even than the previous quality. 

Indeed, laser eye surgery comes with numerous mouthwatering benefits. But, it can also result in certain vision complications. Are you shocked? You should be aware that laser eye surgery can also come with some health risks.

Amusingly, most of the articles on laser surgery emphasize the health benefits majorly. As good as that may seem, it does more harm than good. Medically, exposing patients to a procedure’s possible side effects is professional to understand what to expect afterward fully. 

Also, knowing about the side effects of laser eye surgery will help you learn how to minimize or eliminate them. That’s the silver lining! Hence, this article aims to inform you of the possible risks and how to avoid them.

Interestingly, most of these side effects are temporal. They will disappear automatically after a few days without serious medications or treatment. You only need to be prepared for the new experience ahead and learn how to handle any of them that comes your way after the surgery.

The most important way to reduce the health risks associated with laser eye surgery is to find an experienced surgeon with an impressive track record in handling the procedure. More so, you need to allow the operating surgeon first to examine your medical history to decide whether you are medically fit for the surgery or not.

4 Side Effects of Laser Eye Surgery

1. Halos and Glare 

Whether you had LASIK or other types of laser eye surgery, you will most likely experience halos for a few days or weeks after the procedure. This symptom is common to everyone who undergoes laser-assisted refractive surgery before getting the right results. 

Why is these conditions general? The fluid in the newly operated cornea would obstruct your vision, causing lights to scatter in your view. Depending on the body composition of the patients, this experience may last for days or weeks. However, the halos disappear immediately. The fluid clears and gives you a more balanced view.

In rare cases, patients may not recover from the adverse effects of halos after many weeks. Then, it becomes permanent. In this condition, the victim may experience worse vision at night, seeing left-hand images. When halos become a permanent problem, it is primarily a result of the induced alteration from the laser during the procedure. 

Indeed, this vision problem can be frustrating. But, the exciting part is that it’s not likely to happen if you have not been nursing some hidden severe health issues. 

How to Avoid Halos And Glare 

To avoid glare and halos after laser eye surgery, make sure that:

• You hire an experienced surgeon that has an impressive track record in performing laser eye surgery and understands the significance of surgery aberrations
• Your surgeon measures your pupil’s size in dark light 
• You notify your surgeon to administer ASPHERIC treatment to you
• The surgery center has up-to-the-minute laser technology that is well maintained.

2. Flap complications 

Flap complications are arguably the most common complications that surface after laser eye surgery. This eye defect symptom may include buttonholes, irregular fragmented flaps, and partial flaps. This incidence may occur when the surgeon uses a microkeratome blade to create a flap during the procedure. 

Unless you hire an inexperienced surgeon, flap complication is a rare side effect of laser eye surgery. It was most common a few years before the IntraLase femtosecond laser came into practice. Nowadays, you will hardly find cases of flap complications after any laser-assisted surgery. However, your surgeon needs to observe some precautions to avoid the problem.

How to avoid flap complications 

• Ask your surgeon if he has vast experience using Intralase during laser eye surgery. It is also important to ask him how long he has been performing the surgery with IntraLase. Experience counts when it comes to laser eye surgery. 
• When the procedure begins, ask your surgeon to use the IntraLase laser to create the corneal flap.

3. Dry eye

Almost everybody who undergoes laser eye surgery would have to experience temporary dry eye symptoms a few hours after the surgery. Indeed, it is customary for your eye doctor to give you some aftercare medications to treat dry eye and other temporary vision issues as you return home. 

Meanwhile, dry eye symptoms can become a long-term problem if you are not committed enough to your aftercare treatment. This vision problem may also occur if a surgeon fails to perform a thorough evaluation before the surgery. Some dry eye symptoms may include burning, pains, grittiness, and fluctuating vision. 

How To Avoid Dry Eye

• Make sure your eye doctor has vast experience in conducting dry eye tests. You also need to confirm if your surgeon is well knowledgeable about dry eye treatments.
• Ask your surgeon to run a test to discover if you are a patient of Meibomian Gland Disease. This gland stays in the eyelids, producing essential oils that prevent tears from evaporating within a short period. 
• Make sure you take re-esterified Omega-3 supplements to increase the functionality of the Meibomian gland. 
• Take eye drops that contain no preservative frequently after the surgery.
• Avoid looking at the screens of mobile phones, computers, and other related gadgets for a long time. You can take a break every 20 minutes to close your eyes and look elsewhere before returning to work.

4. Infection 

It is typical for every surgery to come with the risk of infection after the procedure. However, it is always very minimal in all the types of laser eye surgery available.

How To Avoid Infection

• Patronize a prolific surgery center that provides top-notch Care Quality Commission rating.
• Make sure the surgery environment is well prepared for the procedure. Try to know the exchange rate of the air per hour. Make sure you don’t settle for anything below 10 per hour, as that is the minimum acceptable.  
• Ensure your surgeon gives you antibiotics during the preoperative preparation stage and during surgery.

Finally

 Laser eye surgery is an effective procedure that restores excellent vision in the shortest time possible. Meanwhile, you must carefully choose your surgeon to avoid the troubles of prolonged vision complications that may later become permanent. Experience is one of the must-have qualities of any surgeon you hire. You can rest assured of good outcomes if he has performed several procedures without issues. You can also read about Getting started with nitrile gloves by visiting https://mercychildrensclinic.org/getting-started-with-nitrile-gloves/

As the campaign about laser eye surgery is getting more widespread, it’s okay to reach out to your doctor to make propositions on how to restore your impaired vision going through the procedure. No one can deny the sweet feeling of spending the whole day outdoors without needing to wear eyeglasses all along. 

How about spending extra hours inserting contact lenses before setting out for the day and the stress involved in removing the lens before bedtime? No doubt, one would easily choose laser eye surgery that can help you enjoy work and leisure with the sharpest vision possible.

It is a fact that laser eye surgery provides people with a lasting vision solution within the shortest time possible. But, is it the best pick for you? 

In the medical world, it is not ideal to choose a corrective measure just because of its efficacies. Instead, having a detailed discussion with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and professional recommendations is reasonable. 

To help you decide whether the laser procedure is the best option for you or not, we’ve helped you to compile the top pros and cons to make an informed decision. This write-up aims to allow you to measure the risks and gains to decide whether the surgery is worth the cost.

The Pros of Laser Eye Surgery 

1. It is safe and quick 

All things being equal, laser eye surgery doesn’t take up to 30 minutes. You might return in 15 minutes or less if you hire an expert. Usually, the actual time for the surgery is just a few minutes. The remaining time is for the necessary preparation and setup. 

Also, laser eye surgery is a very safe procedure. Patients return home with sharper and clear vision without sustaining any facial injury. Your doctor may keep you awake throughout the entire surgery. But, they would have administered nerve-calming medications to keep you relaxed throughout the procedure. You don’t have any reason to fret. The laser will shut off automatically if there’s any sudden movement in your eye. That safety mechanism helps prevent error and injury.

2. Quick result 

Laser eye surgery provides the expected result within the shortest time possible. Typically, it is sure that you experience up to 20/25 vision within the first 24 hours. Of course, you might have to deal with some minor issues immediately after you stand up from the couch. However, your vision becomes healed gradually but quickly. 

If everything goes well as planned, you can resume your work after 48 hours of rest. Suppose you compare that short recovery period with the long corrective period of eyeglasses. In that case, you already know which option to choose. Meanwhile, you may have a slight delay and experience minor pain during recovery. But, everything will get better after a few days of on-time medications.

3. It is cost-effective

Aside from the fact that laser eye surgery saves time, it saves money. Interestingly, most people quickly opt for eyeglasses or contact lenses because the two visual corrective options come with a cheaper initial cost. But, they are both far more expensive than laser eye surgery in the long run. 

Eyeglasses and contact lenses require constant maintenance routines. Not only that, you can use either of the two options for a lifetime. That means there is a need to replace them with new ones at intervals which attracts extra costs. Suppose you add up the recurring maintenance, repair, and replacement expenses in the space of 10-20 years. In that case, you will discover that you have spent far more than the one-time cost of laser eye surgery.

Laser eye surgery doesn’t require any recurring maintenance or replacement expenses. Once your vision heals, you can keep enjoying the sharpest sight of your life till old age. 

4. Convenience 

To prevent poor vision from hindering them from performing at the top level in different fields of endeavor, people with vision impediments opt for eyeglasses to make visual corrections. And, that brings a whole lot of inconveniences. 

Many people who have undergone laser eye surgery have different success stories about how their lives have become more comfortable after the procedure. Indeed life after laser eye surgery is better. 

Laser eye surgery provides numerous flashy benefits that can make it better than other options to restore impaired vision. Yet, specific cons can cause you to decline immediately. Let’s make a list.

Cons of laser eye surgery 

1. It is not suitable for everyone 

Not everyone can enroll for laser eye surgery. Even if you struggle with the most severe vision infections, you might not be a good candidate for the procedure. That’s one of the reasons we advise you to have a detailed discussion with your healthcare provider to have professional recommendations and prescriptions. There are some general criteria to be eligible for laser eye surgery. Before your doctor recommends the procedure, you must:

• Be 18 years and above 
• Have think cornea
• Not be pregnant or breastfeeding (for women)
• Be within the prescription range 
• Have a detailed report of your health history
• Not have any eye infection 
• Be healthy 

2. It comes with possible side effects 

In rare cases, people develop different health complications after laser eye surgery. For some, they may have to struggle with dry eyes for as long as three months. Some other side effects of laser eye surgery may include glare or halos, night blindness, color blindness, astigmatism, and more. Generally, these side effects can heal with aftercare medications. However, they are permanent in rare cases. Laser eye surgery can limit your day-to-day performance and restrict you from enjoying your routine activities. 

Finally

Laser eye surgery can be your one-time opportunity to have perfect vision all your life. Though, there are possible complications that may arise during the recovery period. You will only have to cope with the changes for a short time and later forget they have ever been. 

Indeed, the above pros and cons will help you decide whether you are a good candidate for laser surgery or not. Yet, it is essential that you allow your eye doctor to make the final verdict.