6 Complications that May Happen Due to LASIK Surgery

6 Complications that May Happen Due to LASIK Surgery

6 Complications that May Happen Due to LASIK Surgery

LASIK, or laser in-situ keratomileusis, is an effective operation to improve vision in people who are nearsighted, farsighted, or cylindrical. Although this treatment is quite safe, patients need to know the possible complications before undergoing LASIK surgery.

Some LASIK complications that may occur after eye surgery:

1. Dry eyes

Dry eye is one of the most common complications of LASIK. During the cutting of the corneal outer flap, some parts of the cornea responsible for producing tears can be damaged. This causes a decrease in tear production and makes LASIK patients affected by dry eye syndrome.

Symptoms of dry eyes can include pain, pain, eye irritation, eyelids sticking to the eyeball, blurred vision. Dry eyes due to LASIK are usually temporary. This condition often persists for the first 6 months after LASIK surgery and disappears when the eyes are fully healed. Eye drops and other methods can be used to treat these symptoms effectively during this period.

However, the FDA's website has warned that dry eyes due to LASIK can become permanent in some cases. People who basically have dry eyes are often not recommended to undergo LASIK.

2. Flap complications

During surgery, the flap on the front of the eye is lifted so that the laser can reshape the cornea. Lifting this flap can cause complications, including infection, inflammation, and excessive tears.

The flap is then replaced and acts as a natural bandage until it attaches back to the cornea. If the flap is not made properly, it cannot stick properly to the cornea and striae, and microscopic wrinkles can appear on the flap. This causes reduced quality of vision.

Choosing an experienced ophthalmologist can reduce the risk of LASIK complications.

3. Irregular cylinders

Can occur due to irregular healing or if the laser is not properly centered on the eye, making an uneven surface on the front of the eye. This can cause double vision. In this case, the patient needs repeat treatment.

4. Keratectasia

This is a rare but serious complication of LASIK. This is a condition in which the cornea abnormally protrudes forward. This occurs if the cornea before LASIK is too weak or if too much tissue is removed from the cornea.

5. Sensitive to light

Patients can experience loss of sensitivity to contrast and difficulty seeing clearly at night. They may not be able to see as clearly or as sharply as before and also see a glowing circle around light, glare, and blurred vision. Fortunately, in most cases, this problem is temporary and will disappear within 3 to 6 months.

6. Undercorrection, overcorrection, regression

Undercorrection / overcorrection occurs when the laser lifts too little / too much corneal tissue. In this case, patients will not get as clear a vision as they expected and still have to use glasses or contact lenses for some or all activities.

Another cause for imperfect results is that your eyes do not respond to treatment as expected or your eyes deteriorate over time due to excessive healing.