This is one of the most commonly asked questions about laser eye surgery and is something people need to know before they can feel confident enough to can go ahead and have the treatment.
As with all surgical procedures, there is always a degree of risk and this is something you need to weigh up before deciding to have the surgery. It is important that you fully understand all the risks of laser eye surgery and this should always be discussed with your surgeon.
The main 2 types of laser eye surgery are Lasik and Lasek eye surgery and although both are considered extremely safe, Lasek is generally considered to be slightly safer. The reason for this is that there are additional Lasik complications which are associated with the creation of the flap. No flap is created during Lasek so these additional complications do not apply. However, with the advent of bladeless Lasik (Intralase), complications associated with the flap are now becoming far less common. Lasek is however a far less common procedure as the recovery period required tends to be far longer compared with Lasik. Read the following guide for more information on these 2 procedures: How are Lasik and Lasek different?
Although there is some variation between surgeons, the typical complication rate is normally only about 1 in 1000 procedures which equates to 0.1%. Even if you are unlucky enough to suffer a complication, in the vast majority of such cases the surgeon will be able to rectify the problem with either further surgery or medicated eye drops, depending on exactly what the problem is. This is why choosing an experienced, highly skilled surgeon is important as not only will their complication rate be low but they will also be able to treat any problems should they arise. It is estimated that the chance of going blind following laser eye surgery is only about 1 in 5 million which is extremely low.
In 2006, The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the official body that produces guidance for UK doctors on the effectiveness of medical treatments completed a two-year study of laser eye surgery. The conclusion from the study was that laser eye surgery “is safe and efficacious for use in appropriately selected patients”.
The most important thing when it comes to ensuring you have the highest chance of achieving a safe and successful laser eye surgery treatment, is in choosing the right surgeon and clinic for you. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists recommends that anyone considering undergoing laser eye surgery should ask their surgeon for details of their qualifications, training, length of practice and results. Ideally, your surgeon should be a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists or the Royal College of Surgeons as this signifies they have achieved the very best in training and assessment.
Following your laser eye surgery it is vitally important that you precisely follow the instructions given to you by your laser eye surgeon. Ensure you take all medications that are prescribed (eye drops) and attend all your after-care appointments. Assuming this is the case you are likely to have a safe and highly successful laser eye surgery procedure with a very high chance of achieving 20:20 vision. You can read about the expected laser eye surgery results here.
Another post you may find helpful is the following: Is laser eye surgery dangerous?
If you are interested in finding out more about laser eye surgery you can visit TreatmentSaver
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