Problems With Lasik

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, or Lasik, is a surgical procedure intended to reduce the need for eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Considerations

• Not all people are candidates for Lasik, says AllAboutVision.com. A surgeon will determine the health of the eyes, the amount of laser treatment needed and a patient's suitability for surgery.

Significance

• Lasik's success rate is at or above 90 percent, according to AllAboutVision.com. The U.S. military uses it for active-duty soldiers, who are not permitted to wear contact lenses.

Complications

• Lasik involves lifting the flap over the cornea, reshaping the eye, and then replacing the flap. Sometimes, the flap may wrinkle or not correctly cover the eye. Additional surgery typically corrects this problem, says AllAboutVision.com.

Irregularities

• An irregular astigmatism can happen when the surface area treated on the cornea is not smooth, while diffuse lamellar keratitis occurs when inflammation under the Lasik flap erupts. Both can be corrected with re-treatment.

Risks

• Keratectasia is a bulging of the eye's surface. It can be the result of a flap that has been cut too deeply, or when too much tissue has been removed from the cornea during Lasik. Eye infections and irritations may also occur.