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How Safe is Lasik Surgery?

Dan Frith
Dan Frith
Contributor
Posted by Dan FrithApril 28, 2008 10:49 AM
Tags: Lasik surgery, FDA, dry eye, double vision, National Eye Institute
3 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

Don't you know someone who has had Lasik eye surgery?  I do...multiple people and most have enjoyed improved vision as a result.  We have a large ophthalmologic practice in my area and these eye doctors appear to be very good at what they do.

However, the national media has reported an increasing number of problems with Lasik surgery and now even the slow-footed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is starting to take a look.  The problems include painful dry eyes and fuzzy or double vision which cannot be corrected with glasses. 

The FDA has even recruited the National Eye Institute (part of the National Institute of Health) to study how patients lives have been affected by laser eye surgery.  Interestingly, the laser eye surgery industry is experiencing a slow-down in the number of annual procedures. possibly due to the weakening economy.  In 2000, 1.4 million people submitted to the procedure which was an all time high.  However, some experts believe the number of procedures in 2008 will be 17% below the number performed in 2007.

My bet is that many of the current problems experienced by patients arise from overly eager doctors "pushing" Lasik eye surgery on marginal candidates.  Anyone want to take my bet?

 

 

3 Comments

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frances
Posted by frances
April 28, 2008 11:25 AM

i had the lasik surgery and in the past 3 months have had floaters around my eyes has anyone else had this? thanks

LASIK Patient
Posted by LASIK Patient
May 03, 2008 8:47 AM

I'll take your bet. I have researched LASIK and LASIK complications for 8 years. When I say "research", I don't mean reading on the Internt... I mean reading peer-reviewed medical journals. The problems with LASIK are inherent to the surgery -- not due to a few "overly eager" LASIK surgeons who fail to properly screen patients. The two most frequent complications, dry eyes and night vision disturbances, occur in about 20% of patients. This percentage is based on the FDA clinical trials which are conducted by the "best" surgeons. Here's a link to a review of all FDA LASIK clinical trials:
More ...
The problems are widespread and inherent to the surgery as I have explained on my website More ... For many patients these "symptoms" are severe and life-altering.

LASIK Patient
Posted by LASIK Patient
May 03, 2008 8:54 AM

frances,

Floaters after LASIK are reported by many patients. The suction ring used during flap creation places stress on the vitreous (the stringy, jelly-like substance that fills the eyeball) which leads to posterior vitreous detachment, commonly known as floaters. You can read more about this on my website at:
More ...

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