Safety vs LASIK in Dubai

For patients the single most important factor guiding their decision to have LASIK in Dubai, is the safety factor. While they fear that there could be complications, this is a common dilemma that patients face, says the Eye Surgeon in Dubai at the Ebsaar Eye Surgery Center. Having the right information can dismiss unnecessary fear factors associated with LASIK treatment. This article addresses some of the useful considerations and information about the safety of LASIK for prospective patients.

 

LASIK has been around since 1991 and has been performed over 25 million times, around the world. Though a vast majority of LASIK patients has been very satisfied with their results, there are patients who have  complained that their laser vision correction results were unsatisfactory. Many of these complications and unsatisfactory results are due to the use of older vision technology, less experienced and less careful surgeons and patients who don't make ideal candidates for LASIK treatment. The potential LASIK problems and complications typically fall into the following categories,

·         Dry Eyes - This occurs from a temporary reduced corneal nerve sensation or other ocular surface conditions. The good news is that this is treatable and preventable for many  patients.

 

·         Night time vision - Nighttime side effects such as glare, halo, star-bursting and decreased contrast sensitivity,  results in a reduced quality of vision at night. This is most due to a historical problem, having been substantially resolved by advancements with newer vision treatment options and technology. Side effects associated with night time vision  were more common in patients with nearsightedness that were treated with conventional technology. However, a recent study found that patients are ten-times more likely to see better at night after undergoing the latest treatment for LASIK at  the Eye Clinic in Dubai.

 

·         Accuracy and Enhancement - The whole idea about having LASIK is to eliminate an individual's complete dependence on eyeglasses or contact lenses. For most patients this is a very realistic goal. After undergoing LASIK, if a patient still has some residual near-sightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, a re-treatment procedure can fine-tune the individual's vision, if possible and is appropriate. All objective data reveal that the possibility of a LASIK re-treatment ranges from 2% to 10%. There is a higher chance of needing a re-treatment, for patients who have a larger and a far more complicated correction, use standard  LASIK technology, or use an eye surgeon who is inexperienced. Currently, in Dubai the re-treatment rate with standard LASIK ranges from 5-10%. Though standard LASIK has a long track record of being effective and restores perfect vision, the latest LASIK treatments have improved the accuracy of LASIK, and reduced the possibility of a re- treatment by about 2% to 5%. In reality, LASIK has a high level of success and there is no other surgical procedure that can rival the accurate results of LASIK.

 

·         Problems with the flap - An irregular flap during surgery or shifted flap after surgery can cause many problems and affect the success of the treatment. However, with improved LASIK technology and an experienced surgeon the possibility of this issue is very rare.

 

·         Infection - This is very rare, statistics show that infection occurs only in 1 patient out of 10,000 surgeries.

 

·         Corneal Inflammation after LASIK can be prevented with timely follow-up care and the appropriate use of anti-inflammatory eye drops.

Patients should make sure to gather as  much information as possible before opting for LASIK as it's an integral part of having realistic expectations and it is prudent to adopt a healthy amount of caution. As expected, the safety profile and vision results are far better with today’s modern LASIK treatment as opposed to the '1991-style' LASIK. Having said that, some LASIK eye surgeries have crossed the line with unacceptable medical standards and neglecting to give patients realistic expectations, thereby falling short of proper care for patient post surgery.

The Effects of Smoking After LASIK in Dubai

The Eye Surgeon in Dubai, as well as an increasing number of eye surgeons around the world believes that smoking after LASIK can have a negative outcome and affect an individual's general eye health as well. Many studies have previously indicated that smoking is responsible in the incidence and progression of age related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract and thyroid eye disease. Recent reports show the impact that smoking has on inflammation of the eye's middle layer of tissue and it shows that tobacco smoke plays a big part in this serious eye disease as well. However, the biggest challenge is how to make sure that the general population is aware of the devastating impact that smoking has on the eye health and outcome of eye surgeries, which includes LASIK.

 

Some of the most alarming statistics on smoking is that in a quarter of all smokers in the UAE had their first cigarette before the age of 10, this figure was revealed by the Ministry of Health. Also, the Eye Clinic in Dubai, says that people in Dubai are exposed to tobacco smoke, either directly or as passive smokers with each resident being exposed to passive smoking for about five hours daily. About 67 per cent of them are exposed to passive smoking in public places. It is now a universally established fact that cigarette or tobacco smoking has been linked to death due to lung cancer and emphysema, and has also been established as a contributing factor to other diseases, including heart disease. However, many individuals are still not aware of the fact that smoking can have an indirect effect on a number of the body’s natural processes such as healing and repair. According to a recent report, the incidence of smoking is about 30% in the general population undergoing elective surgical procedures such as LASIK.

 

Smoking can harm the natural balance of the eyes as it increases the stickiness of blood cells and increasing the chances of blood vessel buildup and clogging. Blood vessel clogs, or retinal vascular occlusions can also cause vision loss. Smoking also increases the risk of blood vessel disease that develops in individuals who suffer from diabetes.

There is an increase in the evidence that shows that the relationships between various exposures and common eye diseases. Smoking is a risk factor for various types of potentially blinding eye conditions, including retinal vascular occlusions, ischemic optic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Most of these conditions can lead to partial or complete vision loss or total blindness. Therefore, smoking is considered the single most consistently documented risk factor associated with visual loss in AMD. Extensive research and studies have shown that approximately one third of the risk of developing advanced AMD could be caused by smoking and smokers are 5 times more likely to develop advanced AMD with visual loss as opposed to non-smokers.

Some of the instances where smoking could affect eye health are,

·         Chronic eye diseases, with the exception of glaucoma, are all associated with smoking.

·         Those who smoke cigarettes are at increased risk for developing cataracts, a condition where the naturally clear lens of the eye gets cloudy

·         Smoking will accelerate AMD, the leading cause of severe visual impairment and blindness

Additionally, the optic nerve is also susceptible to damage from tobacco smoke. Individuals with an unhealthy diet, smoke heavily and drink excessive amounts of alcohol run the risk of developing optic nerve-related vision loss, also called tobacco-alcohol amblyopia. Sometimes, there are instances where optic nerve issues are hereditary, individuals with this condition who smoke have an increased risk of vision loss.

The general perception is that smoking affects some of the common systems in the body like lungs, heart and blood vessels, the immune response, and tissue healing. However, research shows that the most common post-surgical complications related to smoking are impaired wound and tissue healing and wound infection. With LASIK, this could involve delayed corneal tissue healing and increased risk of eye inflammation and infection. One of the main side effects of smoking after LASIK in Dubai, as reported by patients is dry eye. Dry-eye-related symptoms are very common in smokers than non-smokers due to changes in tear proteins caused by smoking. For these individuals, smoking is a significant irritant, which makes the symptoms worse, leading to increased irritation, scratchiness, stinging or burning of the eyes, and excess tearing from irritation. Smoking also impairs immune function, leading to an increased risk of infection.

Therefore, to reduce the risk of these and other serious complications after LASIK treatment, and increase the success rate of the treatment, it is recommended that individuals quit smoking at least eight weeks before surgery and also completely give up smoking after surgery. Smoking makes recovery harder by putting increased pressure on the heart, affecting blood pressure, reducing oxygen in the blood and eye tissues and damaging the lungs.