How Does Lasik Eye Surgery Go Wrong?
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Introduction
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Lasik surgery is done for people who are nearsighted, farsighted and/or have astigmatism in order to correct vision to 20/20. This type of surgery focuses on the cornea, which is the transparent area in front of the eye that lets light in and begins to focus that light as it moves toward the back of the eye. Lasik stands for "laser assisted in situ keratomileusis." It's a type of surgery done with a laser that's used to reshape the cornea without affecting any of the other cells that are around the cornea. One of the reasons Lasik surgery was developed is that Photorefractive Keratectomy, another type of laser surgery used to correct vision by reshaping the cornea, caused the cornea to be itchy and extremely painful during the healing process. The difference between Photorefractive Keratectomy surgery and Lasik is that Lasik surgery makes a tiny flap in the cornea before it reshapes the cornea. Once the cornea is reshaped, the flap is put back over the cornea. This prevents the itching and pain that was experienced in the past after Photorefractive Keratectomy surgery.
Double Vision
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In some cases when you have Lasik eye surgery, after it's done you'll have double vision. While in most cases the double vision fades after a couple of weeks, there are instances--though rare--in which it's permanent. This is something to consider carefully before having Lasik surgery.
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Complete Vision Loss
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Complete vision loss occurs from Lasik surgery when the surgeon isn't experienced enough to know that your cornea is too thin for Lasik surgery and does the surgery anyway. In this case, the cornea is damaged so severely that you lose vision in that eye. This is rare, and in most cases the surgeon or his staff will see that your cornea is too thin when they do the initial eye exam and will refuse to do the surgery.
Dry Eye
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Dry eye results because Lasik eye surgery reduces the amount of lubrication the eye normally gets. Dry eye can cause pain, redness and itching of the eye. In minor cases, dry eye can be relieved with eyedrops and other topical eye medications. Some patients have also found relief by taking flax seed oil caplets and using a humidifier in their home. However, if the problem is severe enough, it may be necessary to have a small plug inserted that will keep tears from traveling to the nose, giving more lubrication to the eye.
Irregular Astigmatism
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Irregular astigmatism is when the cornea has a less-than-smooth surface, and can happen naturally. However, it can also occur when the laser correction isn't centered correctly on the eye. The symptoms when this condition occurs from Lasik surgery can include double vision and ghost images.
Diffuse Lamellar Keratitis
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This condition, when caused by Lasik surgery, has the nickname "sands of the sahara." This happens when there's an inflammation beneath the flap that is cut before Lasik eye surgery is performed. Although a certain amount of inflammation of the cornea is normal after Lasik eye surgery, if severe and left untreated, it can impede healing and you could lose your vision.
Keratectasia or Keratoconus
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This condition occurs when, during Lasik surgery, the flap is cut too deep and too much tissue is taken from the cornea. This causes the eye's surface to bulge. When this happens, your vision will be permanently distorted. The only ways to correct it are gas permeable contact lenses or corneal implants, both of which hold the cornea in place.
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