Laser Eye Surgery: To Opt or Not to Opt
By
Mike Spencer
If you're suffering from diminished eyesight in any capacity,
there's a whole parcel of feelings that go along with the possibilities of
eventual loss of sight versus the risks of undergoing the treatments that are
necessary to correct the problem.
When considering the delicate nature of the eye, many people
make the decision to put off corrective treatment until the situation becomes
dire - or is no longer able to be treated effectively.
Laser eye surgery - now quite common as a form of treatment for eye disorders
- is one of the first options that many folks look toward when they've made the
decision to pursue treatment and reclaim their ability to see clearly.
Weigh your options
While there are pros and cons involved in such a treatment plan, it's worthy
of a thorough investigation before making such a weighty decision. There are a
number of things that should be looked into, and you should feel comfortable
with the information that you uncover before attempting to take such a leap.
Here then, are a few safety and risk factors that are involved in laser eye
surgery that you may find helpful in your quest for information.
Which type of treatment is right for you?
There are two main types of laser eye surgery procedures that are currently
available: Lasik and CustomCornea.
The difference between the two is that CustomCornea utilizes newer
technologies to accomplish what Lasik surgery can provide and, in either case,
there are safety risks that may be involved. These may include serious
complications which may result in decreased or lost vision, and there are those
who would not be considered as candidates for such a treatment.
Included among those are:
individuals who are pregnant or nursing
under the age of 21
suffering from Herpes Simplex
currently taking medication that may interfere with the body's ability to
heal
suffering from severe allergies or diseases
or have a corneal infection or scarring.
Also listed among those who are not considered for laser eye surgery are
those who have had previous eye surgery, those who have inflammation of the eye
or eyelids accompanied by crusting of the eyelashes, suffer from unstable
refractive problems, currently take medication that causes them to suffer ocular
side effects, those with Keratonconus, glaucoma or high blood pressure in the
eye region, corneal injury, and those who are taking sumatriptan for migraine
relief.
Some of the risks
Among the more specific risks that are associated with laser eye surgery are:
lost vision
reduced low-light vision
under-treatment
over-treatment
increased need for reading glasses and severe dry-eye syndrome.
It's best to discuss these risks with your physician before committing
yourself to having this procedure performed, since there will be no way to
reclaim diminished or lost sight when it comes about as the result of laser eye
surgery.
One other consideration that you'll have to pay careful attention to is the
reputation and success rate of the doctor who will be performing the surgery. He
or she should be licensed in the area of laser eye surgery and care, and be able
to offer an impressive success rate.
If possible, check with other people who may have undergone this procedure
with that particular doctor before making that final decision, in order to get
their impression of both the treatment and the doctor, as well as an accounting
of their experiences after opting to have laser eye surgery.
Copyright 2005 Octocat Ltd
Mike Spencer reviews reviews leading, and sometimes controversial, approaches
to improving and protecting our health. Here he looks at the pros and cons of
LASIK eye surgery and whether it can offer any real benefits to improved vision.
http://www.laser-eye-surgery-reviews.com
For more related articles see here:
http://www.laser-eye-surgery-reviews.com/articles/index.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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