WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM RESULTS? WILL MY EYES DETERIORATE IN THE FUTURE?
Since 1987, millions of Excimer Laser procedures have been performed worldwide. Laser Vision Correction appears to be very stable, and recurrence of refractive error after six months is uncommon. There does not appear to be any increased risk of macular degeneration, cataracts, retinal detachments or any other eye problem related to LASIK treatment. The one long term risk that has been identified with Laser Vision Correction is “ectasia”. In approximately 1 in 2000 Laser Vision Correction patients, the cornea will develop weakening and instability, ie ectasia, after Laser Vision Correction. Ectasia results in progressive blurry vision that may not be correctable with glasses, contacts or Laser retreatment. With adequate pre-operative screening, we can identify, and not operate on, patients that are at risk of developing ectasia. However, ectasia has rarely been reported in patients after Laser Vision Correction that have no known risk factors.
