Corrective Contact Lens after LASIK

The aim of LASIK surgery is to reshape the cornea in an attempt to improve a patients vision. However perfect 20/20 vision is not guaranteed with every LASIk procedure. Besides poor vision some patients may experience the complications of LASIK surgery, such as headaches, eyestrain and night visual disturbances. A repeat enhancement procedure is suggested as a way to remedy these complications but it is not always the best solution and it may not suit all patients. Contact lenses may be used as an alternative to repeating the procedure especially in patients who may have a thin cornea, may not want the risk of further complications, cannot afford another LASIK procedures and have other eye or vision problems which cannot be treated with LASIK surgery.

Types of Contact Lens after LASIK

You need to take into account that LASIK surgery changes the surface of the cornea and as a result you need to take special care when choosing the appropriate contact lenses. Due to the irregular corneal surface, soft contact lenses cannot be used as they adhere to the cornea and do not provide the desired effect. Gas permeable contact lenses are recommended as they provide the necessary optical correction required to improve a patients vision. They are rigid lenses that adequately adhere to the irregular surfaces of the cornea and maintain the lens shape.

Hybrid & Sclera Contact Lens for LASIK Patients

For many years gas permeable contact lenses have been used to correct post-LASIK visual complications and developments in this regard has given rise to highly specialized contact lenses for LASIK patients. The two options available are the sclera contact lens and the hybrid contact lens.
Sclera contact lenses are very comfortable and there is a special liquid that fills the space between the front of the cornea and the back surface of the lens. This ensures a good fit although the cornea has an irregular shape and helps with dry eyes as well.
Hybrid contact lenses have a highly permeable oxygen central area, they are designed to provide a stable fit over the irregular corneal surface and are also comfortable to wear.

Cosmetic Tinted & Color Contact Lens after LASIK

For patients that have had successful LASIK surgery, tinted contact lenses can be safely used for cosmetic purpose. The irregular corneal surface must be taken into consideration when choosing the type of lenses used and you should seek advice from your opthamologist or optometrist before continuing with tinted contact lens. Your previous pair of colored contact lens which you used before LASIK will obviously not be suitable after you undergo the LASIK procedure and you will have to invest in new lenses.

Your needs as a patient must be taken into consideration before the correct pair of contact lenses are chosen, this will depend on the complications you are experiencing and the extent of your visual problems. Contact lenses improve a patient’s vision and may decrease the complications of LASIK surgery, greatly improving a patient’s quality of life.

LASIK Dry Eyes

One of the most common complications of LASIK is dry eyes, due to the of the lacrimal glad (tear glands) to produce sufficient tears. In most cases the corneal nerves responsible for tear production are damaged when the corneal flap is cut during LASIK. The symptoms of dry eyes may be accompanied with a stinging or burning sensation, pain and swelling of the eye and an itchy sensation or as if there were a foreign body in the eye or ’sand in the eyes’. Most patients that have LASIK surgery will suffer with dry eyes for the first six months to a year following surgery but the symptom subsides when the eye heals completely. Eye drops are used to treat dry eyes and apart from lubricating the eye, drop also help stimulate tears.

LASIK Post-Operative Visual Disturbances

Visual disturbances immediately after surgery are common. Glare is a common visual complication occurring immediately after LASIK procedure. A patient will experience both day and night glare for the initial 3 to 4 days following the procedure and the symptoms usually disappear after 6 months. The glare occurs as halos or bursts of bright light. The severity of the glare depends on the pupil size of the patient and a patient with large pupils may suffer the effects of glare permanently. Many patients report night visual disturbances which affects the ability to drive at night. Visual disturbances may become a permanent problem if they do not resolve and they may affect the patients overall quality of life.

LASIK Infection

There is a great risk of infection during the first 48 to 72 hours following LASIK procedure, anti-inflammatory drops are used in the first week after the LASIK procedure to prevent infection.The eye is always at risk of infection because the corneal flap never completely heals.Severe infection in the eye post-operatively can cause scarring that may eventually cause severe visual impairment or blindness but this very rarely occurs. Following a LASIK it is advisable not to participate in contact sports because the corneal flap can easily dislodge.

LASIK Under- & Over-Correction

LASIK sugery in most cases is successful but sometimes there can be ‘under-correction’ or ‘over-correction’ of the cornea. ‘Under-correction’ occurs more often than ‘over-correction although small degrees of ‘under-correction’ do not affect the resulting vision whereas if it is to large degree, it will require a second surgery. In many cases the corneal tissue is incorrectly reshaped due to miscalculations or a misdiagnosis by the surgeon or it may be due to the patient not achieving the expected results of the surgery.

Vision after LASIK

Younger patients should remember that as you get older your eyesight can regress and you maybe required to use glasses or contact lenses again. LASIK surgery does not prevent you from developing cataracts or long sightedness that occurs with old age. While LASIK eye surgery has a very high success rate and the complications are very rare, it is important to be prepared for complications that may arise. Recent reports have indicated that there is an increased incidence of suicide and depression in some patients that experience complications after LASIK surgery.

It is important to note that complications after LASIK is usually considered to be a “bad LASIK” procedure but the complications may have arisen from poor post-operative care rather than an improperly conducted LASIK procedure.

The Pro’s – Advantages of LASIK

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), LASIK eye surgery has a 90 percent success rate and the procedure has a “low” rate of complications and a “high” rate of satisfaction. Some of the pros include :

High Tech & Quick Procedure

It is a fairly safe, and effective procedure in which a laser, guided by a computer, very precisely and accurately corrects the curvature of the cornea. Performed as an outpatient procedure, LASIK eye surgery takes about 10 to 15 minutes for each eye and it is relatively painless.

Short Post-Operative Recovery

Immediately after surgery a patient may experience a sense of burning, itching or a feeling that something is in the eye, this usually settles within a day. Vision may appear blurry or hazy but it improves by the next day.

Painless & Low Risk

Pain and discomfort is minimal and this is of great advantage for the patient. Since a local anesthetic is used, the patient is awake and aware, without fearing any complications from general anesthesia.

Good Prognosis

Complete recovery of a patients vision is very individualistic but it may take anything from 2 weeks to 6 months for a patients vision to stabilize. Overall Lasik surgery is a painless, quick procedure, recovery occurs relatively quickly and vision is restored in most patients.

Convenience and Comfort Over Other Corrective Methods

Wearing glasses offers many restrictions for patients, peripheral vision is obscured, there maybe a glare or reflection, glasses require a frame that maybe also be expensive. Contacts lenses allow for increased chances of getting infection and are high maintenance therefore one of the greatest benefits of Lasik eye surgery is that vision is corrected and the patient no longer requires the use of glasses and contact lenses, greatly improving the patients quality of life.

Self Esteem

Improving a patient’s vision can assist boost one’s self – confidence, because poor vision can affect participation in certain sports, traveling, arts and crafts and glasses and contacts are impossible to wear or they can be cumbersome in these activities. Many people are also self conscious of wearing glasses and this affects their social and professional life, Lasik eye surgery greatly improves their situation.

The Cons – Disadvantages of LASIK

In most cases, the disadvantages of LASIK may seem fairly insignificant compared to the advantages for those living with glasses. However, both aspects should be considered for making an informed decision.

Cost of LASIK

One of the major disadvantages of LASIK eye surgery is that the cost of a corneal scan and assessement, the LASIK procedure itself as well as post operative care may not be affordable for many patients . A patient is expected to visit the ophthalmologist regularly and in some instances repeat surgery is required because the initial surgery did not produce an optimum level of vision correction. All of this is done at an additional cost to the patient. LASIK eye surgery is considered as being a cosmetic surgery and many medical insurance plans do not cover the cost of the surgery.

Irreversible Procedure

Changes made to the cornea by LASIK eye surgery cannot be reversed and the results are not always guaranteed. Some patients may experience a glare or halo around images, difficulty driving at night, fluctuating vision and dry eyes. Patients who have LASIK eye surgery may require prescription glasses as they get older and their vision deteriorates.

These are the main disadvantages of LASIK eye surgery and while they may not often occur, it is nevertheless important to consider these possibilities. The final decision for or against LASIK eye surgery should be made by the patient, without coercion from the practitioner or staff, and for this reason, informed consent is a prerequisite before any patient undertakes the procedure.

References

1. LASIK Eye Surgery. Medline Plus
2. LASIK Laser Eye Surgery. WebMD