| If you've been thinking about getting laser eye surgery | | | | your eye surgeon if they don't already know. Perhaps |
| or LASIK surgery, you may want to know about any | | | | another doctor treated you. This would include herpes |
| risks or complications that may occur. Although many | | | | simplex or shingles that involve the eye or the region |
| people report good results, some problems may not | | | | around the eye, glaucoma, or elevated blood pressure |
| show up until later. And the results, good or bad, of | | | | in the eye, uveitis, iritis, keratoconus. and any eye |
| your surgery may not show up for several months. So | | | | injuries. |
| it's good to know what risks there are before you get | | | | Other possible risks could include any current |
| LASIK surgery. | | | | inflammation of the eyelids, which could cause |
| These are a few of the things to think about: | | | | problems after refractive surgery, such as infection in |
| Some employers will not hire you if you've had | | | | the cornea. Having thin corneas or dry eyes may |
| refractive surgery (RK, PRK, and LASIK). So check | | | | cause problems after surgery. |
| with your employer or professional association first to | | | | If you have diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid |
| make sure it won't interfere with your job or future | | | | arthritis, diabetes or HIV you would not be a good |
| employment in your field. If you're in the military or | | | | candidate for laser eye surgery. |
| planning to join, check with the military also. | | | | LASIK surgery can sometimes require additional |
| You probably know that most medical or health | | | | surgery. Since LASIK and other laser eye surgeries |
| insurance plans won't pay for LASIK or other | | | | are elective surgeries, you many need to consider the |
| refractive surgery. LASIK surgery is cheaper than it | | | | cost before you decide. |
| used to be but insurance companies still won't pay. | | | | After surgery you may find you still need reading |
| Make sure to discuss what is called refractive stability | | | | glasses. The long-term effects are still not known. |
| with you eye surgeon. If you're in your early twenties | | | | Some people have lost some or all of their vision after |
| or younger or have hormones that are unstable due to | | | | surgery. Some patients have had problems with glare, |
| diabetes or other diseases, you're pregnant or | | | | halos, starbursts etc. Some patients have found night |
| breastfeeding, you may be considered unstable for a | | | | driving to be difficult. If you have dry eyes now you |
| LASIK procedure. | | | | may find your condition worse or worsening after |
| And some medications such as those containing | | | | surgery. |
| retinoic acid and certain steroids may delay healing | | | | These are just some of the risks and things to think |
| after your surgery. You need to tell your eye surgeon | | | | about before you decide on LASIK surgery. |
| about all the medications and over-the-counter | | | | Learn all you can before you decide on or get LASIK |
| medications you take. Any one of these may cause | | | | surgery or any other eye surgery. Make sure you |
| fluctuations in your vision and interfere with the | | | | discuss all of this with your eye doctor and eye |
| outcome. | | | | surgeon before you go ahead. Get a second opinion if |
| If you participate in contact sports such as boxing, the | | | | possible. You want to make sure you know all the |
| martial arts or wrestling you may not want to get | | | | risks and complications that can occur during and after |
| LASIK surgery. | | | | surgery. |
| If you've had certain eye diseases make sure you tell | | | | |