Side Effects of Laser Ophthalmology Surgery

Laser Ophthalmology is generally considered to be safe and free of negative side effects. The use of lasers greatly reduces the risk of infection after surgery and provides the surgeon with the ability to perform more precise cuts than a traditional scalpel allows. Most side effects of laser surgery are beneficial and can improve vision or halt the deterioration of eyesight due to various conditions. However, there are a few rare yet serious complications that could arise after surgery.

The Facts

• Laser ophthalmology surgery can be used to improve a patient's eyesight or correct other conditions such as retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, histoplasmosis and central serous retinopathy. It also is used to remove both cancerous and benign tumors of the eye.

Significance

• The most common type of laser ophthalmology surgery is LASIK short for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, also known as keratectomy, which is performed to correct eye sight by reshaping the cornea. After LASIK surgery, most people will no longer need to wear glasses or contacts. LASIK has been successfully performed on millions of patients in the United States.

Types

• There are two basic types of laser ophthalmology surgery which are distinguished by the laser used. Thermal lasers use light which is converted to heat when it touches the eye. This heat can be used to destroy abnormal tissue in the eye, bond the retina to the eye or seal leaking blood vessels. Photo disruptive lasers actually cut the eye, much like a scalpel would. This type of laser is used to change the shape of the eye's surface to improve eyesight or to cut membranes inside the eye interfering with proper vision.

Benefits

• Laser surgery provides the surgeon with greater precision and control than traditional surgery. Many of these surgeries can also be done on an outpatient basis, so hospital stays are not necessary. In the case of LASIK surgery, most patients have 20/20 vision after the recovery period. Laser surgery can also be used to correct retinal tears which will prevent retinal detachment.

Considerations

• Possible side effects of laser ophthalmology surgery include inflammation, infection, bulging of the cornea, loss of vision, pain, dryness of the eyes, blurry vision, poor night vision, sensitivity to light, and small red spots on the white of the eye. Some patients may have worse vision after surgery than they did before. In extremely rare cases, laser ophthalmology surgery can result in a permanent loss of vision.