Is LASIK dangerous?

LASIK is certainly not dangerous. It is one of the safest and most effective elective surgeries performed around the world. A majority of eye surgeons have had LASIK themselves.

In fact, compared to contact lenses, LASIK is considerably less dangerous.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the lasers used in LASIK in 1998. Since then, there have been more than 20 million LASIK patients worldwide. At that time, the LASIK procedure used a microkeratome to create the flap in the cornea which is the first step of the procedure. Since then, the complication rate has remained low and continues to decrease.

With that said, no surgical procedure is free of risks or potential side effects.

Based on further analysis of the studies conducted as part of the LASIK Quality of Life Collaboration Project (LQOLCP):

• Up to 46% of participants who had no visual symptoms before surgery experienced at least one visual symptom 3 months after surgery

• Participants who developed new visual symptoms after surgery, most often developed hales. Up to 40% of participants with no halos before LASIK had halos 3 months following surgery.

• Up to 28% of participants with no symptoms of dry eyes before LASIK, reported dry eye symptoms at 3 months after surgery. This is consistent with previous studies.

• Less than 1% of participants experienced difficulty with usual activities after LASIK surgery.

• 95% of participants were satisfied with their vision following LASIK surgery

Memorial Eye offers both traditional LASIK and Femto LASIK surgery, which uses a laser instead of a blade to create the corneal flap. Femto LASIK can offer certain benefits, including:

– Reduced risk of complications

– Increased precision

– Faster healing

– Less discomfort

Want to know more about whether you’re a good candidate for laser eye surgery? Please take our quick self-test today to see if you qualify.