Laser eye surgery is a treatment used to correct a refractive error. Basically, this surgery reshapes your cornea to adjust the way light is focused on your retina. After surgery, some no longer need to use any form of vision correction, while others will continue to use glasses or contacts on a limited basis.
Lasers are also used to treat other vision problems, like a retinal tear, AMD, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. This health blurb only covers laser eye surgery used for vision correction.
There are different types of laser eye surgery, LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) being the most common. This surgical procedure treats nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, but not presbyopia.
LASIK uses a laser to precisely remove some of your corneal tissue and reshape it. The intended result being clearer, sharper vision. Some of the LASIK eye surgery risks are:
- astigmatism
- flap wrinkles
- eye infection
- over correction
- under correction
- blindness ~ very rare
- diffuse lamellar keratitis
- glare, halos, double vision
- eye swelling, inflammation
- dry eyes ~ OTC eye lubricant may help
- impaired night vision ~ corticosteroid eye drops may help
To correct some of these after laser eye surgery issues, a second surgery may be advised.
LASIK eye recovery is typically short lived. You can expect to return your normal routine the following day, albeit with certain restrictions.
After your laser eye surgery you might experience some of these symptoms for a short period :
- itchy eyes
- watery eyes
- burning eyes
- blurred vision
- bright light sensitivity
You’ll probably need to wear a protective shield over your eyes for a night or two as a precautionary measure during your laser eye surgery recovery. And it will take a couple of months of recovery before your vision becomes stable.
Other laser eye surgery recovery measures may include taking an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, as well as using eye drops to moisten your eyes. And wearing dark sunglasses or covering your eyes in bright light is helpful for light sensitivity.
Follow up appointments will be required during your laser eye surgery recovery period in order to assess eye healing and to check for any complications.
PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) and LTK (laser thermal keratoplasty) are other types of laser eye surgery.
PRK is a type of laser eye surgery used to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism as well. This form of laser eye surgery involves removing the surface layer of your cornea and then a laser reshapes the underlying cornea.
The risks associate with PRK mimic those of LASIK. This laser eye surgery recovery period lasts a couple of days because your cornea surface layer needs time to regenerate. Typically, you’ll wear a bandage to reduce eye pain during this growth. You’ll also use eye drops for several months over the course of your recovery.
LTK is used to treat moderate hyperopia. With this laser eye surgery, the laser’s heat is used to modify your cornea’s collagen fibers. This laser eye surgery is considered temporary because its correction diminishes over time.