Success Rate of Laser Eye Surgery — Discover What to Expect

 

Since first being approved in the 1990s, LASIK surgery has been performed on tens of millions of eyes around the world. Although when it was first introduced, laser eye surgery was considered a radical procedure, LASIK surgery is now one of the most common refractive surgery procedures used to correct blurry vision from refractive error.  As most people are quite sensitive around their eyes, the thought of eye surgery can be daunting. So, is laser eye surgery safe? 

 

What is Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery is a form of refractive surgery based on modifying the curvature of the cornea.

The cornea is the clear tissue at the front surface of the eye.

By changing the shape of the cornea, laser eye surgery can correct the focus of light through this surface, fixing your blurred vision caused by vision problems such as short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. 

In most cases, laser eye surgery can greatly increase your independence from glasses and contact lenses, surgically providing you with clearer vision. 

 

Types of Laser Eye Surgery 

There are a few different types of refractive surgical procedures. The techniques that involve a laser tool, such as an excimer laser and/or a femtosecond laser, include:

• LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis)
• PRK laser surgery (photorefractive keratectomy)
• SMILE laser eye procedure (small incision lenticule extraction) 

 

Other Refractive Procedures 

There are also methods of refractive surgery that don’t rely on using a laser tool for the modification of corneal tissue. These include refractive lens exchange and implantable contact lenses. A surgical procedure to correct your vision in this way is considered an elective procedure. 

 

Is Laser Eye Surgery Safe?

For any type of medical procedure, it’s generally better to avoid using the word “safe”, as some people can take this to mean it carries no risk. All forms of surgery, including eye surgery, carry some potential of encountering surgical complications. 

However, laser eye surgery is considered to be one of the safest elective procedures available when performed by an experienced eye surgeon on an appropriately selected patient. 

It’s important to note that not all methods of laser eye surgery will be suitable for all patients. For example, LASIK eye surgery would not be appropriate for someone with thin corneas. Performing the LASIK procedure on a patient who doesn’t meet the minimum cornea thickness would be considered unsafe and could result in a complication called corneal ectasia and subsequent vision loss. However, it is possible that this person would benefit from another form of laser eye surgery, such as PRK, which would be a safer treatment for them. 

 

 

LASIK Success Rate

Since LASIK eye surgery is the most common technique of laser surgery, there have been many studies surrounding its safety and how effective it is at correcting vision. 

One review on LASIK procedures published by the American Refractive Surgery Council in 2016 found that:

• Up to 99% of LASIK patients reported very good patient satisfaction
• Under 1% experienced loss of vision (that is, a negative outcome)
• Over 90% achieved perfect visual acuity of 6/6 (also known as 20/20) vision 
• Almost 100% achieved a visual acuity that met the Australian driving vision requirements

In general, the overall success rate of laser eye surgery is quoted to be over 99%. 

 

Potential Risks and Complications of Laser Eye Surgery

As with any surgical procedure, there is the potential for something to go awry, whether during the eye operation itself or during the healing process post-operatively. 

 

Common Complications 

Many of the complications associated with the LASIK procedure are short-lived and resolve over a few months. Your eye surgeon will always discuss these risks with you before your procedure. Common side effects after LASIK can include:

• Dry eyes, which can be managed with artificial tears
• Light sensitivity and glare, which can be managed with sunglasses
• Blurry vision, which resolves as the eye completes the healing process 

Blurred vision that doesn’t clear over a month or two may be due to an error in the calculations of your laser procedure, such as over- or under-correcting your prescription. These cases can often be fixed with a touch-up laser eye surgery procedure. In a worst-case scenario, you may need to wear glasses on some occasions, such as when you need very sharp vision for night driving. 

 

Less Common Complications

In rare cases, a more serious complication may occur after your laser eye surgery. These include:

• Corneal ectasia. This refers to thinning of the corneal tissue, which results in it bulging outwards from the pressure inside the eyeball. Corneal ectasia is more commonly found when LASIK has been performed on people who are not good candidates. The distortion of the corneal tissue can result in a loss of vision. 
• Flap complications. As part of the LASIK procedure, a corneal flap is formed. This flap can be subject to problems such as becoming dislocated or dislodged, developing wrinkles, or inflammation. 
• Infection. All refractive operations carry a risk of eye infection. In rare cases, a very severe infection can result in blindness. 

 

Reducing Your Risk 

Although nothing can eliminate your chance of experiencing a complication, there are steps that can be taken to reduce your risks and improve your success rates.  

 

Make sure you have the most suitable treatment 

This is a decision made in discussion with your surgeon. He or she will assess several factors to determine the most appropriate laser treatment for your eyes, including whether you meet the minimum corneal thickness to safely create a flap, as in LASIK surgery, and the presence of any eye disease. 

 

Follow the instructions of your eye doctor

After your operation, your surgeon will give you guidelines to help you through the healing process. This includes using a couple of prescription eye drops, avoiding high-risk activities, and keeping your eye area clean.

 

Contact us on (03) 9070 5788 to schedule a consultation for Laser Eye Surgery in Melbourne.

 

 

 

Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. 

 

 

 

 

References

LASIK Eye Surgery Success Rate.
https://www.visioncenter.org/lasik/success-rates/

LASIK Success Rates in 2022: Statistics on Safety and Effectiveness.
https://myvision.org/lasik/success-rates/