Benefits and Drawbacks of Lasik

Lasik surgery, or laser-assisted in situ Keramtomileusis, is a procedure to improve a person's vision. In the surgery a flap is cut into the patient’s cornea. The surgery can be a blessing for those who suffer various eye disorders such as astigmatism. For those who wear corrective lenses or wear contacts, it is something to seriously consider. However, Lasik surgery has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages of Lasik surgery are numerous. In the 1950’s Jose Barraquer, a Spanish ophthalmologist, was the first to experiment in cutting thin layers in the cornea to correct eye problems. This was followed by others in both Germany and Russia. One of the advantages is having the patient awake during surgery and allows for same-day treatment. The operation has the possibility of giving patients improved sight without having to use contact lenses or eyeglasses ever again. As a result of Lasik surgery, up to eighty percent of patients no longer have to wear corrective lenses. The remaining twenty percent only need corrective lenses some of the time.

Despite the many reasons for having Lasik surgery, there some risks. The most prevalent, which does not happen often but can be dangerous, is that some patients will leave surgery with worse eyesight. Individuals with glaucoma or certain eye diseases, for instance, are not good candidates. Other individuals may be slow healers as well. Some of the post-procedure effects patients may also experience include driving difficulty at night, dry eyes and fluctuating vision quality.

Whether one is seeking Lasik surgery out of personal preference or to correct eye irregularities, all of the advantages and disadvantages need to be weighed to determine if the surgery is right for them.