People with vision problems such as nearsightedness, astigmatism and farsightedness often turn to laser eye surgery to correct these problems. If you are considering laser eye surgery, you may be concerned that something will go wrong with the procedure. Vision complications from laser eye surgery correction are very rare. If a complication does occur after having the procedure done, it may be treated with additional surgery.
Laser eye surgery includes Radial Keratotomy (RK), Photorefractive Keratotomy (PRK), and Laser Thermal Keratoplasty. During PRK, the doctor will utilize an excimer laser to reshape the eye. RK uses a scalpel to reshape the corneal tissue. Complications with these procedures are rare but as with any type surgery, there are still risks involved.
Compared to Lasik surgery, PRK and RK surgeries cause more post-surgery discomfort which may last more than a week. It may also take up to six months to have improved vision. Since the potential exists for blurred vision after PRK, many surgeons perform this procedure on a single eye at a time.
Less serious complications reported after laser eye surgery can include:
- Irritation or eye infection. You doctor can prescribe antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication.
- Dry eyes. This can occur after laser surgery. If this occurs, your doctor may prescribe artificial tears or dry eye medication.
- Undercorrection, overcorrection or regression. This means that the results of your laser surgery were less than optimal. There can be different reasons for this problem. You may be able to receive additional treatments to correct the problem.
The following are additional side effects that could possibly occur after surgery:
- Reactions due to anesthesia taken during surgery
- Light sensitivity
- Glare or halos around lights
- Corneal related haze
Irregular astigmatism which results from an uneven corneal surface can also arise after surgery. This happens when the laser used is not correctly centered on the eye. Symptoms include double vision and can be treated with additional surgery.
Keratectasia or keratoconus is another complication that occurs when eye tissue bulges on the surface. It can result in distorted vision and cannot be corrected with further laser treatment. Corneal implants or gas permeable contact lenses are used to treat this problem.