There has been a noted increase lately in advertising for laser eye surgery and prices for this procedure have tumbled. The allure of clear vision without corrective lenses is strong. Make sure you are aware of the risks, however, before consenting to this procedure. Laser surgery, while safer than the predecessor to this form of eye surgery, radiokeratonomy, is not without risks. Scarring would diffuse the light passing through the central cornea, making everything appear hazy.
Some patients complain of glare and halos.
The other major form of laser surgery, lasik, generally does not produce central corneal scarring, but has its own set of complications related to the corneal flap. One of the most serious risks is surgeon error in placing the plate which controls the depth of the cut to the eye. When this occurs, the cornea can be completely perforated, while the contents of the eye are under high intraocular pressure. This can result in a blowout, which will cause extenstive damge to the inner structures of the eye. If you are considering laser eye surgery, carefully weigh the risks.