Does Lasik laser eye surgery cause cataracts?

The question of whether or not cataracts cause laser eye surgery is something that people commonly ask. In order to understand this, it is best to first consider where exactly on the eye, laser vision correction is carried out. The procedure is carried out on the cornea which is the clear outer most part of your eye, whereas a cataract forms in the lens which is inside your eye behind your pupil (deeper inside the eye than the cornea). During laser eye surgery (Lasik and Lasek), your surgeon will not come in to contact with the natural lens inside your eye, meaning it has no way of causing a cataract to develop.

What is worth mentioning however is the fact that following your surgery your surgeon will most likely prescribe you steroid eye drops for a short period of time. These eye drops can theoretically cause the onset of cataracts but this is only after prolonged use of them, over a period of months or years. 99% of people having laser eye surgery will only put the steroid eye drops in for a total of about 1 month, with many putting them in for a lesser period of time. For this reason there is no chance that the steroid eyes drops could cause the start of cataracts.

Other points to mention about cataracts and laser eye surgery are as follows:

• Laser eye surgery cannot treat cataracts.
• If you have already have cataracts you are not suitable for laser eye surgery: During a laser eye surgery consultation you will be assessed to see if you have any cataract in either eye. Cataracts can blur your vision and they can also cause your prescription to change. This could mean that following laser eye surgery your prescription could change, meaning all the good work done by the laser would be undone.
• You can have laser eye surgery if you have already had a cataract removed. If following cataract surgery you still need to wear glasses to make you see clearly, then you could still be a candidate for laser eye surgery.

I hope this has helped explain the relationship between laser eye surgery and cataracts, but if you still have any doubts you should ask for advice during a laser eye surgery consultation.

If you want to read more about laser eye surgery or book a consultation then you should visit  www.treatmentsaver.com