Imagine waking up and seeing the one you love in clear focus on the pillow next to you every morning. Imagine being able to wear any pair of designer sunglasses you want. Imagine never having to buy another plastic bottle of lens solution. As stylish as fashion eyeglass options and as ubiquitous as contact lenses are, many people are opting for the permanent, hassle-free option of corrective laser eye surgery. Once thought to be a scary experiment, laser eye surgery has grown in popularity over the past ten years as new technologies and experienced laser surgeons emerge. As the risk subsides, the enticing promise of nearly instantaneous, nearly perfect vision is drawing more and more people into laser surgery centers around the world.

Who Can Get Eye Surgery?

Most common vision issues are correctable with laser eye surgery: nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are all fixable, often with better than 20/20 results. But it is not for everyone. Unsuitable candidates are those with ongoing medical issues such as glaucoma, diabetes, auto-immune problems, or certain eye diseases. Those with previous conditions that resulted in retinal scars are ineligible. Pregnant women are ineligible as their refraction can change during their pregnancy. Children and teenagers are ineligible, as their eyes are still growing.

Will My Insurance Pay For It?

Generally not. Laser eye surgery is considered an elective procedure, meaning that it is not required to maintain the health of the patient. Few exceptions apply, such as for those whose eyes may have sustained an injury.

What Are The Risks Involved?

While most patients have successful surgeries due to thorough pre-op examinations, there are serious risks as well as side effects associated with laser eye surgery. As with any surgery, there is the risk of infection, although most surgeons claim that less than 1% of patients are affected. The same is true for corneal damage. There is also a small risk of environmental factors, such as power outages or equipment malfunction, during the surgery itself that can result in eye damage that could make the patient’s vision worse.

The most common side effects of successful laser eye surgeries are:

• Halo Effect – In dim light, any light source will appear to have a pronounced glare around any bright light source, such as streetlamps or headlights. This often fades as the eyes heal, but can be a permanent side effect and can affect night driving
• Dry Eyes – Even after the eyes have fully healed, many patients report that they experience dry eyes more frequently than before, and use over-the-counter artificial tears to remedy that minor discomfort

A significant percentage of patents experience one or both of these side effects.