Telephone: 1-850-444-9500 | Toll Free: 1-888-839-3775
LASER EYE SURGERY (LASIK)
Approximately 8 million people have undergone laser eye surgery in the United States since the mid-1990s. While the majority of these procedures are successful, there is still an alarming increase in the number of patients who walk away from the surgery with permanent vision damage as a result of medical negligence, defective equipment, and lack of post-operative care. The truth is that the damage from the procedure is almost always irreversible, and the complications can be severe and life-altering.
LASIK is a laser surgical procedure (approved by the FDA in 1998) intended to reduce a person's dependency on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A mechanical microkeratome (a blade device) or a laser keratome (a laser device) is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced. There are other techniques and many new terms related to LASIK that you may hear about.
As with any other surgical procedure, laser eye surgery comes with risks. These risks include:
- Permanent vision loss (Blindness)
- Chronic Dry Eyes
- Debilitating Visual symptoms including double vision, glare, halos, starbursts, night blindness
- Contrast sensitivity (reduction of vision in dim light)
- Permanent physical damage to eye
As a result of the increasing number of permanent injuries suffered following laser eye surgery, the FDA announced the start of a collaborative study with the National Eye Institute and the Department of Defense to examine the potential impact on the quality of life of patients following LASIK procedures. The goal of the LASIK Quality of Life Collaboration Project is to determine the percentage of patients with significant quality of life problems after LASIK surgery and to identify predictors of the problems.
The FDA issued the following advice for consumers who are considering laser eye surgery:
- Compare. The levels of risk and benefit vary slightly not only from procedure to procedure, but from device to device depending on the manufacturer, and from surgeon to surgeon depending on their level of experience with a particular procedure.
- Don't base your decision simply on cost and don't settle for the first eye center, doctor, or procedure you investigate. Remember that the decisions you make about your eyes and refractive surgery will affect you for the rest of your life.
- Be wary of eye centers that advertise, "20/20 vision or your money back" or "package deals."
- Read. It is important for you to read the patient handbook provided to your doctor by the manufacturer of the device used to perform the refractive procedure. Your doctor should provide you with this handbook and be willing to discuss his/her outcomes (successes as well as complications) compared to the results of studies outlined in the handbook.
- During surgery. Malfunction of a device or other error, such as cutting a flap of cornea through and through instead of making a hinge during LASIK surgery, may lead to discontinuation of the procedure or irreversible damage to the eye.
- After surgery. Some complications, such as migration of the flap, inflammation or infection, may require another procedure and/or intensive treatment with drops. Even with aggressive therapy, such complications may lead to temporary loss of vision or even irreversible blindness.
- Advertising. Be cautious about "slick" advertising and/or deals that sound "too good to be true." Remember, they usually are. There is a lot of competition resulting in a great deal of advertising and bidding for your business. Do yourhomework.
If you or someone you love were injured by laser eye surgery, you have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form, or call 1-850-444-9500 or call 1-888-839-3775 to discuss your rights with one of the experienced attorneys at our firm.
Evers & Preston, PL
609 West Chase Street
Pensacola, FL 32502-4711
Telephone: 1-850-444-9500 | Toll Free: 1-888-839-3775
