To See, or Not to See ... Lasik is the Question
Professor David J. Demko, PhD
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
"To see, or not to see?" These days, most baby boomers need some kind of corrective lenses just to get around. Fortunately, there are a number of alternatives for those who require corrective vision. For reasons of convenience, cost, and vanity, consumers are given a number of vision-improvement options. The options include eyeglasses, contact lenses, or corrective surgery, otherwise known as LASIK. If you're one of the millions of boomers who are contemplating LASIK, then it's definitely worth your while to read on. That's because "To see, or not to see ... LASIK's become a question" ... at least for some of us.
The Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Eye M.D. Association, has issued an ophthalmic technology assessment (OTA) report that finds LASIK safe and effective for correcting low-to-moderate myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism, but less predictable for moderate-to-high myopia and astigmatism.
The assessment also reports that serious, adverse complications resulting in permanent visual loss occur rarely, but side effects such as dry eyes, nighttime starbursts, and reduced contrast sensitivity occur more frequently. These are the major conclusions of the OTA report which is based on a search of the peer-reviewed scientific literature for the years 1968 through June of 2001. The OTA report is published in the January 2002 issue of Ophthalmology, the Academy’s clinical journal.
The assessment addresses:
- preoperative evaluation of patients;
- issues concerning microkeratomes (the ophthalmic scalpels used in LASIK)
- and the thickness of corneal flaps;
- necessary operative techniques with the excimer laser, suction ring, and microkeratome blades;
- postoperative care of the LASIK patient;
- FDA status of excimer laser and microkeratome approvals; and
- resources required for physicians to purchase or use excimer lasers and microkeratomes.
The authors believe it is difficult to compare past and present practices because of the rapid evolution of LASIK technology and techniques.
Christopher Rapuano, MD, chair of the assessment committee, concluded: “LASIK is an excellent procedure for many, but not all, patients. Those who are not good candidates should not have the surgery. Surgical complications, though rare, do occur, but advances in excimer laser technology and newer microkeratomes may help further decrease the small percentage of surgical problems we have seen in the past.”
For more information on refractive surgery, visit the Academy’s Web site at: www.aao.org
AgeVenture News Service, www.demko.com
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