Laser Eye Surgery

This article includes information on laser eye surgery procedure and its risks, side effects, and the cost involved. Read on...

Some decades ago, if a person had a disease or disorder, medical professionals had to carry out surgeries using extremely complicated procedures in unfavorable conditions. However, due to the advent of technology in recent times, laser technology is being largely used in a wide range of fields. The concept of using laser equipments is most suitable for carrying out complicated medical procedures and operations. Lasers are even being used to perform eye operations, with a quick recovery time. Let us get to know more about laser eye surgery and its other aspects.

Laser Eye Surgery Procedure

As the name suggests, laser eye surgery refers to an operation done on the eye with the help of laser equipments. This advanced surgery is most appropriate for those who have vision problems, but do not want to wear glasses or contact lenses. This eye operation using lasers is well known for enhancing the vision.

The most popularly used reference for laser eye surgery is LASIK, medically known as 'Laser Assisted in-situ Keratomileusis'. In this procedure, a laser is used to give an appropriate shape to the cornea to adjust vision capabilities of the patient. With laser eye surgery, astigmatism patients are largely benefited. Like the LASIK, photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) is also another laser eye surgery which is used for eye vision corrections. However, this surgery is less preferred by medical experts. LASEK (laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis) and wavefront are two other types of laser surgeries. Before the surgery can be performed on a person, the doctors check the patient's age and eye conditions, and pregnancy in case of women.

Laser Eye Surgery Risks

There might be some laser eye surgery side effects if proper pre-screening is not done. To decrease the risks of the eye operation, it is strongly recommended to approach a well qualified eye specialist with substantial years of experience. It is reported that the chances of complications in the surgery are from 3% to 6% approximately. There can be an infection to the cornea after the surgery. Note that the possibilities of the infection to the cornea is more in PRK treatment than in LASIK surgery. This eye infection heals overtime though, but may increase the healing time.

Another risk is that if in the surgery there is an overcorrection to undercorrection, you might again have to undergo a re-treatment to improve the vision accurately. You may also experience a haze in your sight with blurred vision, a strong glare around lights, and even a halo effect. All these minor conditions might stop you from clear vision. These problems might be persistent until about six months after the laser eye surgery.

Laser Eye Surgery Cost

As for any other medical procedure, the laser eye surgery cost also depends on a variety of factors such as the geographical location and the reputation of the facility and eye doctor. Note that the median costs of laser eye surgery ranges from roughly $1,000 to $3,000 per eye, if not more. The cost is somewhat the same for both PRK and LASIK procedures. The costs may even vary according to the type of procedures and equipments used in the operations, since the maintenance cost of these medical equipments is substantial. If there are complications after the procedure, postoperative check-ups can add up to the overall cost. Wavefront eye operations is believed to be costlier than the LASIK or LASEK surgery.

This is some information on the laser eye surgery procedures, eye complications after the operation, and the cost of the laser eye treatment. For any specific information regarding laser eye surgery risks and benefits, it is suggested to consult a good and experienced eye doctor.