More people than you think have undergone laser eye surgery. This procedure has been available for correcting refractive errors for about 25 years. It has gradually become a routine procedure done by several hospitals and clinics.
However, the safety of laser eye surgery remains a concern for many people who intend to correct their vision with it. More important in people’s minds is the chosen clinic’s ability to carry out the particular procedure successfully.
Calculating the risk of surgery
Before talking about the risk of the procedure, you need to understand that surgery to improve vision, also called vision correction or refractive surgery, fall under two categories: lens surgery and laser eye surgery.
These procedures can improve your vision, reducing dependency on contacts or glasses, but the most suitable for you depends on several factors such as age, eye health, and prescription.
Your eye surgeon will examine your eyes to determine if you are suitable for laser eye surgery or lens surgery. However, the information below can point you in the right direction.
Lens surgery risks
Lens surgery can improve your vision by introducing your eyes to an artificial lens, either the refractive lens exchange (RLE) or phakic intraocular lens (PIOL).
The eye surgeon will insert an artificial lens into your eye during PIOL surgery, either behind or in front of the pupil, without removing your natural lens. The procedure is like inserting permanent contact lenses inside your eyes. This allows you to enjoy the benefits of contacts without their disadvantages.
For this reason, many people with a high prescription but do not like contact lenses opt for implantable lenses. This procedure is also suitable for people with cornea problems that make them unsuitable for laser eye surgery.
Intraocular lens surgery risks
Complications rarely occur from PIOLs, but some studies show they have long-term effects. The infection rate following PIOL surgery is way lower than wearing contact lenses.
Side effects and risks of PIOLs include temporary vision disturbance, especially night vision and risk of developing cataracts early. Patients who have undergone intraocular lens surgery need regular eye exams to monitor their eye health, specifically the back of the cornea.
The risks above vary between persons,and your surgeon will discuss them after your examination.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) risks
Refractive lens exchange (RLE), also called clear lens extraction (CLE) or lens replacement surgery is similar to cataract surgery but recommended for general refractive errors.
Like PIOL, RLE requires implanting an artificial lens into the eyes, but the surgeon will first remove the natural eye lens before replacing it with the artificial one.
RLE is a better option for many people than PIOL, especially in the early stages of cataracts or if you are unsuitable for laser eye surgery because you have a high long-sight prescription. In this case, RLE is the only treatment option for a clear vision.
Many people cannot tolerate RLE, and it doesn’t always eliminate complete dependence on contacts or glasses. Two main types of artificial lenses are available. This include:
Monofocal lenses
These lenses provide focus at only one distance. For instance, you can improve your distance vision with a monofocal lens but still need glasses for near vision.
Multifocal lenses
Multifocal lenses can improve your distance, middle and near vision. However, about 80% of people experience starbursts and halos at night, and 1% cannot tolerate the multifocal lenses, so they need to undergo a risky surgery afterwards to change the lens to a monofocal lens.
After RLE, you may experience some side effects and visual discomfort for weeks or months. Serious complications are also more common than PIOL. About one in 500 people may experience vision loss after RLE.
Laser eye surgery risks
Laser eye surgery is suitable for almost all prescriptions, including poor reading vision, presbyopia, dry eyes, thin corneas, and other eye conditions that make you unsuitable for treatment in the past.
However, the procedure still has limits. For example, it is unsuitable for people below 18, and you must have a stable prescription for a few years. The three types of laser eye surgery include:
PRK/LASEK
PRK and LASEK are surface treatments that involve completely removing the clear layer outside the cornea to reshape the underlying tissue with a laser. After the surgery, the cornea’s outer layer grows back, and the recovery process may last for a few weeks and cause some discomfort.
LASIK
This is the most common laser eye surgery. It involves two lasers, one to create a thin flap on the cornea’s surface and the other to reshape the tissue underneath. The recovery period is faster and more comfortable than PRK/LASEK.
ReLEx SMILE
SMILE is the newest of the three laser eye surgery treatments. It involves the surgeon using a laser to reshape the cornea through a small, self-sealing laser incision. This makes the procedure and recovery time shorter and suitable for people with higher prescriptions.
The three laser eye surgery treatments have similar levels of safety and results because most complications arise from the screening and assessment process.
The standard of screening for laser eye surgery varies between clinics leaving the safety mostly in the hands of patients who can choose the right clinic.
Several common but mild side effects of laser eye surgery can occur. They include:
Visual symptoms and dry eyes
Some visual disturbances and dry eyes occur due to the natural healing process in the eyes. Applying artificial tears in the eyes can help with these symptoms until healing is complete. In most cases, dry eyes subside within a few days or weeks.
Night vision disturbances
Many people experience night vision disturbances such as starbursts and halos from oncoming headlights while driving at night. These symptoms usually resolve after a while.
Loss of vision after laser eye surgery is rare, unlike RLE and PIOL.
Finding the right clinic for laser eye surgery
Laser eye surgery is safer when performed in a high-quality clinic with an experienced laser eye surgeon. The procedure is proven to treat refractive errors, but you have to seek expert care to increase your chances of successful treatment.
One way to determine the quality of a clinic is the surgeon’s expertise. Laser eye surgeons need to have at least a certificate from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and experience in the procedure you want to undergo. They also need to have additional refractive training. Ensure you have an assessment and discuss your risks with the surgeon before scheduling a day for surgery.
If you need an experienced eye surgeon in London for laser eye surgery, visit Optimal Vision today or call 020 7183 3725 to schedule an appointment with us.
