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Back to Procedures and Treatments Possible Risks
To decide whether laser vision correction is a good alternative for you, it is important to understand the potential risks. In general the risks are low, but there are still important factors to consider. There are very low (2% or less) rates of complications relating to undercorrection, overcorrection, night glare and halos, or loss of best-corrected vision. Infection occurs in less than one/tenth of one percent of procedures. The chances of risks with PRK versus LASIK are about the same but of a different nature. Most risks with PRK are related to healing, while in LASIK they relate to creating the corneal flap. Estimated rates of complications for both procedures include:
Undercorrection and regression problems are more common in high myopia cases. Undercorrection This is more common than overcorrection. Slight undercorrection will not seriously affect your vision. It may be desirable in patients over 40 to help with reading vision. If there's significant undercorrection, we will perform an enhancement at no additional cost. The higher the myopia, the more frequently undercorrection occurs. Overcorrection An initial overcorrection may occur and usually corrects itself within the first month. Overcorrection will make your vision at close range more difficult. After laser vision correction, your distance vision clears first, followed by your near vision. Overcorrections are rare, about 2% or two of every 100 procedures. Night Glare and Halos A common condition following the surgery, and usually clears within the first three months after the procedure. These symptoms usually resolve after the second eye is corrected. Sometimes a weak prescription for night driving may be needed. The incidence of night glare and halos (beyond the early months) is 2%. Loss of Best-Corrected Vision A small number of patients experience a slight loss of visual sharpness following laser vision correction. This means that even with your best correction, you may loose ability to read the bottom one to three lines of the eye chart. This can be due to irregular healing or an irregular flap and may improve over the first year. This occurs in less than 2% of the procedures. Infection While most feared, it is extremely rare. If it does occur, it happens in the first 48 to 72 hours. You will receive antibiotic drops after the procedure to help prevent infection. Infection occurs in less than one-tenth of one percent of the procedures. Haze Occurs when protein develops on the surface of the eye after laser refractive procedures. A trace haze is very common. Even moderate amounts of haze will not affect your vision. Ultraviolet light appears to aggravate haze, so it is important, particularly in Hawaii, to wear good ultraviolet protection. Serious haze may occur in less than 1% of PRK procedures, and is very rarely seen with LASIK. Regression This is a tendency for the eye to drift back toward your original prescription. This occurs more commonly in patients with higher amounts of myopia. Enhancement procedures can be performed to "tune up" your treatment. In some cases, glasses for night driving may be all that you need. Corneal Flap Risks These are very rare. These occur in less than 1% of the procedures. This may result in loss of best-corrected vision. Dry Eyes Unrealistic Expectations Laser vision correction is exciting, but it is essential that you understand the procedure and the associated risks. A patient who has unrealistic expectations and falls short of them will be the unhappiest patient of all. Although our procedures have a high degree of success, we cannot, and do not, promise you 20/20 vision without eyewear correction. With laser vision correction we can significantly reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses, but most patients still eventually require glasses for reading and some may even need a thin pair of glasses for critical distance activities. It is best for you to think of this procedure not as eliminating your need for glasses, but reducing your dependence upon them and improving your vision. Dr. Jenkins discusses the benefits and risks associated with refractive surgery on Olelo's Health TV: |
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