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[H806]How Much Is Laser Eye Surgery

by Dean Caporella, Dea

Laser eye surgery has been such an enormous boon for the "seeing-eye" world that thousands of people with defective sight problems can thank this relatively simple and quick procedure for restoring their sight to acceptable and satisfying levels. But are you aware that their are risks associated with laser eye surgery?

It's foolhardy to think that any type of surgery is risk free and laser eye surgery is no different. The question you have to ask yourself is whether the benefits of having this type of procedure outweigh the risks and in most cases patients will choose the former.

The good news is that the chances of suffering serious vision-threatening side effects from laser eye surgery are extremely low. But there are risks nevertheless and you should be aware of them.

What Are The Side Effects?

Corneal infection is always a possibility following procedures such as Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and Lasik. However, the risk is so low that when it's presented as a possible worst case scenario to patients, they generally dismiss it as non-threatening. The percentage factor is something like 0.1 per cent which is extremely low. Those who experience it will suffer no long term effects and it usually means a slower healing process and some extra discomfort. It's hardly reason for concern considering the benefits from receiving the surgery.

Corneal infection aside, one of the more common side effects of laser eye surgery is what is termed as under or over correction. What does this mean? Simply put, it's difficult to predict exactly how a patients eyes will respond to treatment so in some cases, corrective lenses may be needed in the short term or further surgical treatment is scheduled.

Dry Eyes

Dry eyes are another side effect of laser eye surgery but again, it's not sight threatening and can be treated easily with lubricating drops. Patients are generally more worried about the inconvenience of the extra healing time which can amount to several weeks.

PRK patients in some instances will report a condition known as corneal haze. Corneal haze occurs during the recovery process and while it is not threatening in the majority of procedures, there is always the possibility that vision could be impaired somewhat if the haze becomes excessive. As a prospective patient, you should be made aware of this but again, it shouldn't affect any decision you may make in going ahead with surgery.

Lasik Risks

Flap damage is a risk for lasik patients. The worst case scenario is that the flap could be irrepairably damaged or even lost however, once again the chances of this occurring are extremely low. Another risk for lasik patients involves the possibility of suffering a distorted corneal shape which may occur during healing. If this occurs, it will have some impact on the overall quality of vision.

If you are concerned about the side effects of laser eye surgery then you need to discuss them with your surgeon. We've covered a few but there are others, including a condition known as regression. It simply means that the eye may retreat to it's former state following surgery. This could occur several months following the procedure and further surgery may need to be scheduled. The bottomline... yes, there are risks associated with surgery but in the world of "laser eye" they are extremely low.

About the time that people hit middle age, they start noticing a number of changes in their bodies and one of the changes that will often motivate people to see a doctor is when their vision is compromised. Considering that the baby-boomer generation has hit middle age and beyond, it is no wonder why Lasik laser eye surgery has become increasingly popular in recent years, as a way to counter the effects of vision deterioration.

Lasik vision surgery is a specialized procedure that provides vision correction for certain types of vision problems and conditions. Lasik is the term that is used as a "shortcut" for the full name of the operation, which is otherwise known as "Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis." Other commonly heard terms for corrective eye surgery that is accomplished through the use of lasers instead of scalpels are: PRK, LASEK, custom Lasik, and Epi-Lasik.

There are three main vision problems that are easily corrected through Lasik laser eye surgery. These are near-sightedness, farsightedness, and forms of mild to moderate astigmatisms. With Lasik vision surgery, people are able to toss their eyeglasses, and the chance of losing or breaking them, into the trash forever. It can also eliminate the need for contact lenses.

A qualified and professional Lasik eye doctor will always make sure that a patient has a full and complete understanding of the process, before it is done. This gives them an advantage of not only being a patient but of being an informed consumer who has made a decision regarding their eye health and care.

While the risks of laser eye surgery are minimal, especially when compared to older methods of corrective eye surgery, it is in the best interest of the person considering such surgery to fully understand the possible complications and potential risks, as well as the cost of Lasik surgery.

The greatest advantage of a laser eye surgery procedure is that it is minimally invasive and does not involve the cutting of the covering of the eye, or cornea, with any type of surgical instrument. Instead, a thin layer of the cornea is cut with a laser beam and then gently pulled back, giving the laser eye surgeon the ability to then "sculpt" the corneal tissue to improve the vision. The thin flap is then replaced and the procedure is over.

After the Lasik laser eye surgery, patients notice an almost instant improvement in their eyesight. They can very quickly get back to their normal, everyday routines in almost all cases. Also, with Lasik there are no stitches to be concerned about and the patient will not even have to wear bandages. With all of this, some recipients of Lasik eye surgery even claim that the whole procedure could even be characterized as a divine wonder.

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Both Dean Caporella & MIKE SELVON are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dean Caporella has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parenting, Golf Guide and Surveys. Dean Caporella is a professional broadcaster. Are you aware of What are the advantages? Get the latest eye surgery news a. Dean Caporella's top article generates over 74000 views. to your Favourites.

MIKE SELVON has sinced written about articles on various topics from Camping, Allergies and Personal Desktop. A free report awaits you at our portal site, where you can enrich your knowldege further about. MIKE SELVON's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.