Throughout the years, LASIK has helped many men and women achieve excellent vision without the aid of glasses or contact lenses. LASIK surgery has been proven effective at treating the refractive errors myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. With the many advances in laser vision correction technology, patients that were once considered unsuitable candidates for LASIK surgery are now able to undergo the procedure. While this is true, not all patients will qualify for LASIK surgery. Patients who are not ideal candidates for LASIK surgery may benefit from other procedures, such as PRK.
While LASIK is a safe and effective treatment for refractive errors, there are still risks. In order to minimize risks, every patient considering LASIK surgery at Black Hills Regional Eye Institute, a Rapid City laser eye surgery center, is required to undergo a comprehensive eye examination. This allows LASIK surgeons to ensure that a patient is an ideal candidate for the procedure before surgery. Patients that have thin corneas, dry eye, large pupils, eye infections, or unstable vision may not be ideal candidates for LASIK surgery. To minimize the risk of complications during and after surgery, the Rapid City LASIK specialists of Black Hills Regional Eye Institute will not perform surgery unless a patient is a suitable candidate for the procedure. If a patient does not meet the specific qualifications necessary for LASIK candidacy, there are other effective alternative treatments available. To determine if patients are candidates for LASIK surgery, they must schedule an examination at Black Hills Regional Eye Institute today.
Risks, Complications, and Side Effects Associated with LASIK
As with any surgical procedure, there are risks associated with LASIK. At Black Hills Regional Eye Institute, the surgeons openly discuss the possible risks, complications, and side effects of LASIK surgery so that the patient may make an educated decision regarding eye care treatment. Ninety-five percent of patients of Black Hills Regional Eye Institute achieve 20/20 or better vision after undergoing LASIK surgery. This high success rate can be attributed to the skill of the LASIK surgeons, patient care before, during, and after surgery, and the patient’s participation in his or her own care. Pre-operative and post-operative care is vital to a successful LASIK outcome. A patient must diligently follow all surgical instructions to ensure proper healing after the LASIK procedure.
Side effects after undergoing LASIK surgery should be expected. It is typical for a patient to experience side effects immediately following his or her LASIK surgery. For the majority of patients, these side effects are only temporary and will dissipate within a few days to a few months after the LASIK procedure. Among the most common side effects after LASIK is difficulty seeing at night.
Night Vision Problems after LASIK
For patients in Rapid City, night vision after LASIK is often only a temporary side effect of the surgery. Many times decreased night vision is a result of dry eye that occurs during the LASIK healing process. It can take months for a patient’s vision to stabilize following LASIK. During this stabilization process, it is common for glare, halos, difficulty driving at night, and other visual disturbances to occur.
Patients may find it difficult to drive at night because of glare, halos, starbursts, and double vision. Starbursts or glare can make it difficult to see in the presence of bright lights, such as street lights and headlights. Halos can make it difficult to see because of the appearance of rings around bright lights. Fortunately, once the healing process has been completed, most patients will no longer experience night vision problems.
Contact Black Hills Regional Eye Institute
Patients who would like to learn more about night vision problems after LASIK can contact Black Hills Regional Eye Institute today. The knowledgeable, skilled staff looks forward to answering any questions patients may have about the LASIK procedure.
