LASIK Eye Surgery: News and Research Update

LASIK eye surgery (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) is an outpatient procedure. Eye surgeons perform LASIK to help improve patients' vision. It's one of the most popular types of eye surgery. The doctor uses a tiny laser to change the shape of your cornea.

In people with normal vision, the cornea bends. This allows it to refract light back onto your retina. But this doesn't happen in people who have nearsightedness or farsightedness. The same is true for people with astigmatism.

Thousands of Americans undergo LASIK eye surgery every year. For most people, the risks are minimal. People who have LASIK are usually happy with the results. The Mayo Clinic says over 80% of LASIK patients experience improved vision. They no longer need glasses or contact lenses.

The problem is that the results aren't always positive. Some patients end up in worse shape than they were before they had surgery. Here, we'll discuss how LASIK surgery works and why people opt to have this surgery.

We'll also describe some side effects and issues people experience after LASIK surgery. Finally, we will discuss recent news and research on LASIK and how it may affect you.

What Are the Risks of LASIK Eye Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is a vision correction procedure your eye doctor performs to improve your vision. It helps correct a host of vision problems. Some of these include:

• Myopia (nearsightedness)
• Hyperopia (farsightedness)
• Astigmatism

In most cases, LASIK surgery successfully improves a patient's vision. Once the surgeon corrects the shape of your cornea, you should be able to see much better than before. At a minimum, patients can expect 20/40 vision.

Unfortunately, as with any surgery, there are risks of LASIK. Some of the adverse visual symptoms of refractive surgery include:

• Extremely dry eyes
• Glare or halos
• Trouble seeing in the dark
• Regression to pre-surgery vision
• Double vision
• Vision loss
• Under correction
• Eye pain
• Overcorrection
• Starbursts
• Corneal ectasia
• Astigmatism

If you experience any of these side effects, contact your healthcare provider. Sometimes, you may need additional surgeries to improve your eye health. It depends on the nature of your injury.

Candidates for LASIK Surgery

People considering LASIK surgery should always talk to their ophthalmologist about its risks and limitations. You need to go into surgery with your eyes wide open (pun intended). Some people are not good candidates for this type of procedure.

You should avoid LASIK surgery if you suffer from any of the following:

• Weakened immune system (HIV)
• Autoimmune deficiency (rheumatoid arthritis)
• Constant dry eyes
• Recent changes in vision due to pregnancy, age, or medication
• Keratoconus or corneal ectasia

Some people assume that anybody who wears eyeglasses should get LASIK. But that isn't necessarily true. Talk to your ophthalmologist to see if you're a good candidate for this procedure.

Recent LASIK Eye Surgery News

LASIK has been around for decades. Millions of people have undergone this procedure. For most of them, the process went smoothly, and they were happy with the results. But as with any surgical procedure, there are risks.

Some patients have sued their ophthalmology center for damages. Others have sued the manufacturers of LASIK surgical equipment. Overall, the risks of LASIK are small. It's worth reviewing recent news and research on LASIK. This will help you determine if the surgery is for you.

FDA Guidance on LASIK Surgical Procedures

Over the years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued numerous reports on LASIK eye surgery. For example, in March 2009, the FDA drafted new surgical standards for LASIK.

The FDA also ordered all LASIK surgical centers to report any adverse events at their facility. This included any issues with defective LASIK devices. The agency also welcomed public comments about LASIK surgery.

People who have undergone the procedure can go online and report any issues they have with eye surgery.

The FDA found that many facilities were not reporting issues with LASIK surgery. It issued letters to these surgical centers demanding they fix these outstanding issues and submit their reports on time.

More recently, in July 2022, the FDA issued a draft guidance on the increasing risks of LASIK. The FDA posted this draft on the federal register. This allowed people to post public comments about the proposed regulations on doctor's warnings.

Once the FDA enacts this new regulation, eye surgeons must discuss specific risks with potential candidates. They must also complete a checklist and have the patient sign that checklist.

The issues the surgeon must specifically address include:

• Severe dry eyes
• Night vision problems
• Visual disturbances

According to the New York Times, the FDA is cracking down on LASIK surgical centers.

Downturn in the Number of LASIK Procedures

According to leaders in the ophthalmology field, the number of patients opting for LASIK is going down. Up until 2021, the number of patients undergoing LASIK surgery increased. 2023 was the first year where the number of procedures decreased. But recent reports show people choose less risky procedures to correct their vision.

One of the more popular options is photo-refractive keratectomy (PRK). This procedure doesn't involve any cutting. This means there is less trauma to the eye and a lower chance of flap issues and vision loss.

PRK also involves a lower risk of dry eyes, night vision problems, and other complications.

What To Do if Your Laser Eye Surgery Causes Injuries

Whenever you have a surgical procedure, there are potential risks. There is also a chance that you won't be happy with the results. Your surgeon can never guarantee positive results when you undergo an elective procedure.

The good news is that LASIK surgery has a high satisfaction rate. More than 80% of LASIK patients are happy with the results. Also, very few people suffer an injury during the LASIK procedure.

You may encounter LASIK complications. Some patients need corrective surgery a year after their initial LASIK procedure. For example, the surgeon may cut off too much eye tissue. Or they may not cut off enough.

If this is the case with you, or if you suffer other injuries, you may have a legal claim.

Find a Personal Injury Lawyer Near You

If you have LASIK surgery and suffer a personal injury, you have options. First, you must make an appointment with an experienced eye doctor. Then, contact a lawyer and schedule your free case evaluation.

You may have a claim for medical malpractice. If the surgeon didn't perform the procedure correctly, you may be able to sue their insurance carrier. If your injuries are due to a defect in the surgical equipment, you may have a valid product liability claim. Your attorney will help determine the best route to take.

You can recover significant compensation depending on the nature and extent of your injuries. Find a medical malpractice attorney or a product liability attorney near you today.