What are the risks of laser eye treatment?

Laser eye treatments are performed all over the world for a variety of reasons – in general, it is a low-risk and safe treatment.
However, every procedure carries risks or side effects.
We have summarized some of the risks of laser eye treatment for you and present them in this article.

Laser eye surgery – a safe procedure?

Laser eye surgery is generally a very safe procedure.
The risk of complications is particularly low.
Blindness as a result of laser eye surgery is virtually impossible in healthy people.
In addition, the doctors treating patients are usually experienced specialists who work with state-of-the-art medical equipment, which also reduces the risk of complications.
The exact risks depend on

• of the chosen method.
• the individual’s state of health.

It is the responsibility of your attending physician to inform you about the risks, particularly with regard to your medical condition.
This takes place during a preliminary consultation before the planned procedure.

Risks of laser eye treatment

Due to the different procedures for different methods, the complications of laser eye surgery can vary.
The risks of laser eye treatment can be categorized as follows:

• General complications
• Complications of LASEK or PRK treatment
• Complications of LASIK treatment

General complications

Most complications arise during the healing process.
A common complication during healing is inflammation.
However, problems can also occur during the procedure.

Over- or undercorrection

In some cases, laser eye surgery results in a refractive over- or undercorrection.
This means that the visual acuity is not yet optimal.
If there is a residual visual defect, the patient may still be dependent on a visual aid after laser eye surgery.
A follow-up procedure to correct this can provide a remedy.

If it is an overcorrection, this can be treated with eye drops or by wearing visual aids for a certain period of time.

Keratectasia

Keratectasia is a curvature of the cornea that is directed forwards.
The bulge is treated with the help of visual aids.
In severe cases, a corneal transplant is necessary.
The complication can be an early symptom of keratoconus.
Overall, however, it is a complication that occurs very rarely and where the risk can be greatly reduced by a thorough preliminary examination.

Infections

Infections can also occur after laser eye treatment.
The earlier the infection is detected, the better it can be treated.
Eye drops are usually prescribed for this purpose.
It is important that you consult a doctor as soon as you experience these symptoms, among others:

• Redness in the eye
• Eye pain
• Deterioration of vision

Other general complications

In addition to the general complications mentioned above, these side effects may also occur:

• Difficulties with night vision
• Impairment of contrast sensitivity (blurred vision)
• Double images
• Dry eyes

Complications with the LASEK or PRK method

During LASEK and PRK treatment, the upper layer of the cornea is removed.
The underlying layers are then treated using a laser.
This can result in corneal opacities.
However, these are usually only slight opacities and can be easily treated with medication.

LASIK method

The LASIK method is different: a flap is created on the cornea through an incision.
After the treatment, the flap is folded back again.
In addition to the general complications, the incision results in the risk of the flap becoming inflamed or displaced.
Inflammation is treated with eye drops, while a displacement of the cornea may require further surgery.

When the flap is opened, the cornea may also become unstable.
This can manifest itself in such a way that keratectasia occurs.
The probability of keratectasia can be reduced by measuring the corneal thickness during the preliminary examination.

Risk factors

The risk factors for complications during laser eye surgery vary.
The treating doctor will find out about your state of health, carry out preliminary examinations and then be able to make an individual risk assessment.
General risk factors include

• Severe visual impairment
• Low corneal thickness
• Pre-existing corneal disease
• Scarring of the cornea
• Old age

Reduce the risk of complications

To a certain extent, you can help to reduce the risk of complications yourself.
You should bear the following aspects in mind:

• Attend a preliminary meeting
• Insist on a detailed preliminary examination
• Use prescribed eye drops regularly after surgery
• Perception of the follow-up examinations
• Observe precautionary measures (no sport, make-up or sauna)

With the help of these measures, complications after laser eye treatment can be avoided or detected and treated in good time during the follow-up examination.

Frequently asked questions and answers

How high is the risk of laser eye surgery?

Serious complications rarely occur.
The likelihood of a complication also depends on the method chosen.
The LASIK method has a particularly high success rate and a low complication rate of less than 1%, while LASEK treatment is the older method and is associated with more risks.

What can happen during laser eye surgery?

If a complication occurs, it is often an inflammation as part of the healing process, which can be treated well with eye drops.
Rarer complications include keratectasia or refractive over- or undercorrection of defective vision.

Who is laser eye surgery not suitable for?

Good general health is an important prerequisite for laser eye surgery.
Reasons for exclusion may include pregnancy, breastfeeding, insufficient corneal thickness, severe defective vision or diseases such as neurodermatitis, rheumatism or various autoimmune diseases.