Last Updated on Monday, 21 December 2009 11:04 Written by Kristie Nealy M.D

Risks and complications of laser eye surgery

Laser eye surgery has been performed on millions of patients and the rate of serious complications is very low.  The majority of laser eye surgery patients achieve good vision correction, decreasing or eliminating their dependence on glasses and contacts. According to the Royal College of Ophthalmologists complications occur in less than 5% of cases.

Some people have a problem with dry eyes in the months after surgery and artificial tear supplements might be needed in the long term.

Many patients have experienced glare or halo effects when night driving, particularly just after treatment. This is more likely the higher the correction that has been made, but is rarely severe.

Othe risks to be aware of are:

• Infection - There is slightly more risk of infection with PRK as compared to LASIK. Typically infections causes pain and a delay in healing of the surgical sight, but does not usually impact vision longterm.

• Under or overcorrection - It is possible that too much or too little tissue will be removed from your cornea, and your vision will be under or over corrected. This may cause you to need another surgery to further correct your vision, or cause you to continue to need glasses or contacts.

• Problems with the corneal flap in LASIK - At times problems with the corneal flap, such as tearing, wrinkling or dislocation, can cause you to need additional treatment or procedures.

• Corneal ectasia - If too deep of a flap is cut or too much corneal tissue is removed, the cornea can be weakened and bulge. This condition can require a corneal transplant to prevent return of nearsightedness.

• Decrease in best-corrected vision - Sometimes, after laser eye surgery, a patient's vision may not be as good as it was before surgery, even with corrective lenses. Total vision loss after laser eye surgery is extremely rare.

• Regression - Over a period of months, some patients find that their vision gradually worsens after laser eye surgery. Often, this can be corrected by performing surgery on the eyes again.

• Poor night vision - Some people experience halos, glares or starbursts around lights, particularly at night. This can cause problems with driving and other activities at night.

• Failure to complete the procedure - Equipment malfunctions or other unexpected issues can cause the surgeon to stop your surgery before it is totally completed. In this case, you'll need to return for another procedure at a later date.