For many people who are tired of the daily grind of wearing contacts or glasses, and the constant expense associated with these items, LASIK eye surgery seems like an ideal opportunity. Yet, like all surgeries, this one comes with a risk, and for some patients LASIK surgery can make vision problems even worse. Here are some common LASIK eye surgery complications.

Loss of Night Vision
Sometimes patients who undergo LASIK experience a decrease in night vision. This occurs when the pupil dilates to a larger size than the area corrected by the surgery, limiting the ability to see or causing an increase in halos or seeing stars at night. This risk can be permanent, but it often resolves itself a few months after surgery.

Under-correction, Over-correction or Regression
LASIK advertises as the solution to vision problems, offering the chance to have 20/20 vision with one simple procedure, eliminating the need for contacts or glasses indefinitely. Unfortunately, the laser can sometimes remove too much or too little of the corneal tissue, or the eye may not heal in the expected manner, and the result is vision that does not reach 20/20. Sometimes the eyes can even heal too well, causing regression.

Chronic Dry Eyes
Dry eye is a common problem after LASIK. IN fact, The American Journal of Ophthalmology found that about half of all patients experience dry eye. This is temporary for most patients, but some will experience severe dry eye problems after the surgery, which requires additional treatment or care.

Laser Flap Complication
LASIK involves creating a flap on the front of the cornea, reshaping the eye underneath, and replacing the flap to protect the eye. Sometimes complications occur with this flap, which can lead to distorted vision and optical aberrations. These LASIK eye surgery complications include:
– Irregular astigmatism: Occurs when an unequally curved corneal surface is created after laser surgery. Patients may experience double vision or ghost images.
– Epithelial ingrowth: Occurs when corneal cells grow under the flap. When severe, this can cause blurred vision and discomfort.
– Diffuse Lamellar Keratits (DLK): DLK is inflammation under the LASIK flaps that can cause loss of vision.
– Keratectasia: This uncommon complication occurs when the eyes surface bulges due to too much tissue removal during the surgery.

If you are suffering from LASIK eye surgery complications, there is help available. Contact Global Contact Lens Specialists for help with recovering and restoring your vision.