Are there any side effects after excimer laser surgery?

With the advancement of science and technology, people have more and more electronic entertainment facilities in their daily lives, such as mobile phones, computers, etc. People will stare at mobile phone screens and computer screens for a long time or even all day long. This situation leads to people's eyesight getting worse and worse, and the symptoms of myopia are increasing. Myopia has a great impact on daily life. People cannot see things in the distance clearly, which is very bad for driving and reading. There is a method for treating myopia called excimer laser surgery. Although this method is very effective, it also has high risks and is prone to sequelae. The following will introduce the sequelae of excimer laser surgery.

The complications are first [dry eyes], second [complication of severe keratitis], third [vision deterioration], fourth [corneal flap rupture due to accidental collision after surgery], and fifth [keratoconus]. The most common sequelae are easy eye fatigue and decreased vision, and glasses must still be worn. Currently, many European and American countries have banned this surgical method. The UK prohibits doctors from performing this high-tech eye surgery, and the United States has approved this type of surgery only for the treatment of moderate myopia (more than 600 degrees is high myopia) and mild astigmatism, but not for the treatment of other vision defects. Because it can easily cause pathology, some people experience dry eyes, increased astigmatism, and corneal flap displacement. There is another unforgivable problem with laser surgery, which is that people who have undergone the surgery are prone to keratoconus due to thinning of the cornea, which makes it difficult for them to see clearly and may even lead to blindness in severe cases. And it is easy to get glaucoma and cataracts when you get older. I hope my answer can help you.

After the operation, problems related to the corneal flap include: corneal flap position, wrinkling or folding; these problems usually occur within 24 hours after LASIK, before the epithelium covers the incision. The patient should wear a protective eye mask when sleeping to prevent him from rubbing or pressing on the eyes. If the patient feels very uncomfortable and the eyelids rub against the epithelial wound, disposable contact lenses can be fitted to protect the wound until the epithelium returns to normal.

Excimer laser treatment for myopia was first used clinically by American doctors in 1985. It has developed rapidly in recent years and was introduced to China in the early 1990s. The surgical effect of excimer laser in treating high, moderate and low myopia is far superior to previous refractive surgeries, and therefore it has attracted the attention of ophthalmologists all over the world. But many people still doubt its safety, fearing that they may go blind in the future...

Excimer laser is a type of ultraviolet light produced by the excitation of a mixture of fluorine and argon gases. It is a cold laser that can accurately ablate the intended portion of the human cornea without damaging surrounding tissues and other tissues and organs. Its wavelength is very short, and it produces a photochemical effect rather than a thermal effect on biological tissues, so it will not cause thermal damage. In addition, the excimer laser has a short wavelength and weak penetrating power. Each pulse can only cut to a depth of 0.25um. It cuts horizontally under the cells with extreme precision, so there is no damage to the internal structure of the eyeball.

Currently, excimer lasers are equipped with infrared or radar eye tracking systems. When your eyeball deflects beyond the normal range, the laser will automatically stop cutting to ensure safe and accurate treatment.

The principle of excimer laser treatment for myopia is: myopia is caused by the fact that the anterior-posterior diameter of the eyeball is too long or the front surface of the eyeball is too convex, and the external light cannot accurately converge on the retina of the fundus. Excimer laser corneal refractive therapy technology (LASEK and LASIK and other technologies) uses a computer-precisely controlled excimer laser beam to cut the front surface of the cornea to make it slightly flat, so that external light can accurately converge on the retina to form an image, thereby achieving the purpose of correcting myopia.

Looking at the excimer laser itself: cold laser, extremely low penetration and the surgical site for correcting myopia: the front surface of the cornea, does not enter the eye, greatly reducing the risk of intraocular infection! However, any surgery has risks. Even if the chance of occurrence is very low, it should be taken seriously! You should fully consider the risks of surgery and don’t trust advertisements! Before surgery, be sure to go to a regular ophthalmology hospital for a detailed preoperative examination. This can greatly reduce the risk of surgery. Through detailed examination, the doctor can analyze the results for you and determine the best surgical plan for you!