[Psych3120] 3120 lasik answer, Casey Shupe
Casey Shupe
cgshupe@hotmail.com
Tue, 5 Sep 2000 17:16:56 -0600
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About a week ago there was a post asking how successful the lasik =
procedures have been my uncle just recently underwent this procedure =
within the last month and this question was asked in the literature they =
gave him.=20
How effective is LASIK or laser eye surgery for the correction of =
nearsightedness? What are the risks?=20
Laser vision correction today is a very effective procedure for reducing =
myopia (nearsightedness). It is estimated that over 800,000 people will =
have laser vision correction in the United States during 1999. There are =
two main procedures: PRK and LASIK. Both use a cool laser beam that =
reshapes the surface of the eye. Both take approximately 10 minutes per =
eye and are generally safe procedures, but like any surgical procedure, =
they both involve risks.=20
PRK stands for photo refractive keratectomy. This procedure uses an =
excimer laser to precisely reshape the surface of the cornea (the =
transparent, dome-shaped lens on the front of the eye). Since people who =
are nearsighted generally have steep corneas, the laser flattens the =
cornea, changing the angle of the lens to reduce or eliminate the =
myopia. Vision slowly improves over three to four days.=20
LASIK stands for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis. This surgery =
begins by making a flap in the cornea. The thin corneal flap is opened =
to reveal the "bed" of the cornea. The excimer laser than reshapes the =
corneal bed, and the flap is brought back into place. The flap seals =
down tightly without the need for stitches. Although the eye may feel =
scratchy over the first few hours after LASIK, patients generally do not =
complain of any further discomfort. Recovery time is faster than with =
PRK.=20
These two approaches produce similar results at three months and one =
year after surgery. Ninety-five percent of patients end up able to drive =
a car legally without glasses (20/40 vision), and 65-75 percent of =
patients gain even better improvement, to 20/20 vision.=20
Laser vision correction does have risks. Many patients will develop a =
"dry eye" condition that lasts weeks or months. The symptoms of dry eye =
include a scratchy feeling and mild blurring of vision. Dry eye is =
easily treated with artificial tears, and it improves over time. A small =
percentage of patients report a more bothersome condition -- a worsening =
of vision as well as ghosting or glare symptoms while driving at night. =
Most of these symptoms will gradually fade over many months, but some =
patients will have permanent changes in their vision. The most serious =
complication is fortunately the most uncommon -- infection or severe =
inflammation of the cornea. Both the infection and inflammation are =
treatable, but some patients experience permanent loss of vision.=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>
<P>About a week ago there was a post asking how successful the lasik =
procedures=20
have been my uncle just recently underwent this procedure within the =
last month=20
and this question was asked in the literature they gave him. </P>
<P> </P>
<P>How effective is LASIK or laser eye surgery for the correction of=20
nearsightedness? What are the risks? </P></FONT>
<P></P>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Laser vision correction today is a very effective =
procedure=20
for reducing myopia (nearsightedness). It is estimated that over 800,000 =
people=20
will have laser vision correction in the United States during 1999. =
There are=20
two main procedures: PRK and LASIK. Both use a cool laser beam that =
reshapes the=20
surface of the eye. Both take approximately 10 minutes per eye and are =
generally=20
safe procedures, but like any surgical procedure, they both involve =
risks.=20
</P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>PRK stands for photo refractive keratectomy. This =
procedure=20
uses an excimer laser to precisely reshape the surface of the cornea =
(the=20
transparent, dome-shaped lens on the front of the eye). Since people who =
are=20
nearsighted generally have steep corneas, the laser flattens the cornea, =
changing the angle of the lens to reduce or eliminate the myopia. Vision =
slowly=20
improves over three to four days. </P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>LASIK stands for laser-assisted in-situ =
keratomileusis. This=20
surgery begins by making a flap in the cornea. The thin corneal flap is =
opened=20
to reveal the "bed" of the cornea. The excimer laser than reshapes the =
corneal=20
bed, and the flap is brought back into place. The flap seals down =
tightly=20
without the need for stitches. Although the eye may feel scratchy over =
the first=20
few hours after LASIK, patients generally do not complain of any further =
discomfort. Recovery time is faster than with PRK. </P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>These two approaches produce similar results at =
three months=20
and one year after surgery. Ninety-five percent of patients end up able =
to drive=20
a car legally without glasses (20/40 vision), and 65-75 percent of =
patients gain=20
even better improvement, to 20/20 vision. </P></FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Laser vision correction does have risks. Many =
patients will=20
develop a "dry eye" condition that lasts weeks or months. The symptoms =
of dry=20
eye include a scratchy feeling and mild blurring of vision. Dry eye is =
easily=20
treated with artificial tears, and it improves over time. A small =
percentage of=20
patients report a more bothersome condition -- a worsening of vision as =
well as=20
ghosting or glare symptoms while driving at night. Most of these =
symptoms will=20
gradually fade over many months, but some patients will have permanent =
changes=20
in their vision. The most serious complication is fortunately the most =
uncommon=20
-- infection or severe inflammation of the cornea. Both the infection =
and=20
inflammation are treatable, but some patients experience permanent loss =
of=20
vision. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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