Lasik Gone Bad? Now What?

It is unfortunate when a lasik procedure does not turn out as expected. But what causes this and what can be done when lasik has gone bad? When someone goes in for lasik surgery they are expecting to free themselves from eyeglasses and contact lenses.

Some of the most common lasik complications inlude dry eyes, halos, and poor night vision. These common complications are more side effects and can be expected or predicted in most cases.

One of the more common, serious, complications that I see is corneal ectasia. During a lasik procedure, a flap is cut on the cornea. When the flap is replaced, the cornea is left with an area of weakness or compromised integrity. over time, the internal pressure of the eye can create a buldge along the thinned cornea. This complication usually shows up anywhere from a couple months to a many years post lasik.

The resulting buldging cornea results in an increase of myopia and irregular astigmatism. Re-treatment with lasik is not an option. Due to the irregular astigmatism associated with ectasia, eyeglasses can not be used to correct vision either. The only option to correct vision is contact lenses.

It is fully understood that someone who has undergone a lasik procedure no longer wants to wear contact lenses and are not happy about the fact that they now require them to see anything clearly. They type of lens normally used is a gas permeable contact lens. The irregular astigmatism rules out soft lenses. Placing a soft contact over an irregular surface does not work because the soft lens simply acts like a blanket and becomes irregular itself. A rigid contact will maintain its surface shape and, in essence, cover the irregular corneal surface with a smooth and regular contact lens surface.

Gas permeable lenses will be custom designed for the compromised cornea and provide the best possible vision. Depending on the type and extent of ectasia, various styles of lenses will be needed. For improved stability and comfort, large diameter lenses, semi-scleral, or hybrid contact lenses can be used.

While corneal ectasia is a rare complication of lasik surgery, it is a real one. Prior to having lasik, or any eye surgery, be sure you are working with an experienced, qualified, and careing physician. If, despite all good intentions, you had lasik that went bad seek out a qualified contact lens specialist. The fact that someone fits soft contact lens does not necessarily mean that they will be able to fit such complications. As always, when it comes to your eyes, be sure to do your diligent research before making any lifelong commitments.

Steve Cogger is a contact lens specialist in New York City. Find out more of the great information he shares with all contact lens wearers, visit All-About-Contact-Lenses.com