Lasik treatments are a type of eye surgery which uses lasers to reshape the cornea and to modify certain types of eye/vision defects. So, for example, this technique can often be used to ‘cure’ short/near sight, long/far sight and astigmatism.

Lasik as a procedure has been around for some years and it is widely held to be one of the safest procedures around. As with any medical procedure, however, there are risks with this kind of surgery and no guarantees written in stone that you will achieve the visual improvements that you are aiming for.

So, what should you know about the safety of Lasik procedures?

#1 The FDA and Lasik — in the US the FDA approves the actual laser devices that are used in a Lasik procedure but they have no technical control over what a surgeon does here. So, for a start, you should make sure that the clinic/hospital that you use conforms to FDA regulations in terms of the equipment that they use. You should also look for a clinic/surgeon that can demonstrate a strong track record of experience in this field and that takes a consultative approach. You and your eyes need to be checked out thoroughly here (not everyone can actually have this kind of surgery) and all of your options should be discussed with you together with any risks.

#2 The downsides of Lasik — in certain procedures problems can arise with the surgery carried out here. These side effects can include dry eye syndrome, a loss of lines of vision and/or vision problems such as seeing glare and halos around objects. You may also simply find that your treatment didn’t give you the effects you had hoped for. In some cases these problems can be sorted out and in others they may be permanent. You may even find yourself with slightly improved vision but still in a situation where you need glasses or contact lenses to see properly. One of the issues to consider here is that these issues can arise even if you use a reputable surgeon so you need to understand what could happen and how you would manage these problems if they occurred.

#3 Your suitability for treatment — not all people who want Lasik treatment should have it and a reputable doctor will assess your situation and your eyes in-depth before agreeing to treat you. If, for example, you have quite severe long or short sightedness then you probably won’t see the kinds of effects that someone with a less extreme case will have. Again, you might see an improvement but you may still need to wear glasses/contact lenses. This kind of surgical procedure is also not recommended if your eyes are in what is known as a state of refractive instability which often occurs in younger people, people with diabetes and women who are pregnant/breastfeeding. This term refers to changes in your vision (i.e. you have recently needed to change your contacts or glasses prescription). The actual condition/make-up of your eye and certain types of diseases/illness may also be an issue here.

Although Lasik procedures are a safe option for the majority of people who have them they can have negative side effects and may not be suitable for everybody. This is why it is absolutely essential to talk through the procedure with a reputable and qualified medical professional before you make up your mind.