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Possible Side
Effects
As with any type of surgery, side effects and complications due to LASIK are possible. LASIK is unique in
that visual recovery occurs rapidly with relatively minimal side effects. The common side effects following
LASIK include:
Irritation - You may experience some burning and tearing mostly during the first 3 to 6 hours after
surgery, subsiding quickly over the first 24 hours. Your eyes may feel dry for several days or weeks
and occasionally months following surgery. Artificial tears may be used to alleviate dryness.
Glare
- You may experience some glare from oncoming headlights or
other bright light sources in the evening or at night for
varying lengths of time. This almost always decreases over
the first three months.
Under-correction
and Over-correction - LASIK is the most accurate corneal
reshaping procedure for the widest range of vision problems,
and thus one procedure is often all that is required. However,
for those patients who still have a significant residual prescription
the procedure can be repeated to fine tune the results. These
enhancement procedures can be performed approximately three
to six months later if needed. However, the procedure cannot
be repeated an indefinite number of times. The goal of refractive
surgery is to decrease your dependence on optical aids. Although
our aim is to eliminate the need for eyeglasses or contacts,
(at Lipstock Laser Center this is accomplished over 99% of
the time for distance vision) it is important to realize that
for some patients rarely a small amount of eye glass correction
might be needed. It should be noted that enhancements are
more commonly required for very high prescriptions.
Reading
Glasses - If you presently wear bifocals or reading glasses
for Presbyopia,
the laser will be programmed to also decrease dependency on
reading glasses via a technique called modified monovision.
This is offered to our patients over age 40. With this technique
we aim to correct one eye to zero prescription and the other
slightly nearsighted. The slightly nearsighted eye will aid
in the ability to see many things up close. However,
since the difference between the two eyes is small, our patients
can see both far and near comfortably. For some patients,
a little extra boost with reading glasses may be required
for reading fine print or in dim light. If
you don't yet need reading glasses, you may need them when
you reach the age when such near vision aids are normally
required (after age 42).
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