Eye surgeons use a number of different lasers to treat eye conditions as well as to perform elective procedures, such as vision correction surgery. Some of the laser procedures do not require invasive surgery while others may require a small incision on the eye. Before proceeding with a laser procedure, a person should consider the benefits but also understand some of the problems that may occur with laser eye surgeries.
Discomfort
Some laser procedures may cause discomfort, during or after the procedure. If a person has an extremely high intraocular eye pressure, an eye doctor may recommend a YAG laser iridotomy. This procedure uses a laser to make a small hole in the iris, the colored part of the eye, to create a secondary route for fluid to drain. Although this may cause a small amount of stinging when the doctor uses the laser, the discomfort should ease after a short time.
Long-term discomfort may occur with other types of lasers used for certain eye procedures. Doctors perform Lasik eye surgery when a person elects to have a laser reshape the cornea, which often reduces a person's need for prescription eyewear. The patient will not feel discomfort during the procedure, but many people experience significant dry eye problems as a result of Lasik surgery, a condition that may cause severe discomfort. Artificial tears often help relieve discomfort. Dry eye may gradually ease for many people, but, for others, the conditions may always cause problems, reports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Floaters
After cataract surgery, some people experience a clouding of the capsule that surrounds the lens implanted during cataract surgery, which causes blurry vision and glare problems. Cloudiness can be cleared by a simple laser procedure. Doctors use a YAG laser, and the simple procedure does not cause pain or discomfort. The laser makes small holes in a wide circle on the surface of the capsule, and, when the doctor completes the pattern, the holes cut away the center of the capsule, clearing the patient's vision. After the laser, a person may notice a few new floaters in vision. Within a few days, the floaters should settle, out of the way of vision.
Lost Vision
Patients often have Lasik in order to stop wearing glasses or contact lenses. For some patients, the procedure may not have the desired effects. The person may still need to wear prescription lenses. In some patients, however, vision may actually worsen in such a way that an eyeglass prescription cannot correct, explains the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This vision loss will not typically improve over time. A person should weigh all options before proceeding with a laser procedure, especially if the treatment is not medically necessary.
