One of the reasons LASIK has been so popular since its introduction onto the U.S. market in the mid-1990s is that it has an excellent safety profile. Combined with its extraordinarily high rate of patient satisfaction – approximately 95 percent of all patients who have undergone the procedure have been pleased with their results – LASIK has established itself as one of the most successful surgeries in the history of medicine.
Of course, like any surgery, LASIK is not an entirely risk-free procedure. One of the most common risks of LASIK was the development of visual abnormalities such as halos. These abnormalities most frequently manifested themselves at night and in low-light situations. Fortunately, as LASIK technology has progressed, risks such as halos have become rarer and rarer. At our laser eye surgery center in Chicago, LASIK halos are extremely rare and, when they do occur, usually temporary.
The Causes of Post-LASIK Halos
In terms of avoiding undesirable side effects, the most important stage of treatment is the screening stage. At Chicago Cornea Consultants™, Ltd., we carefully and thoroughly screen all patients prior to recommending LASIK to determine their candidacy. In some cases, patients with thin corneas or abnormally large pupils may not be good candidates for LASIK. They may still be good candidates for alternative procedures such as PRK, however.
One of the reasons that patients with large pupils may not be good candidates for LASIK is that they face a heightened risk of permanent impairment of their night vision, including halos. Halos can result from the dilation of the pupils at night beyond the area treated by the excimer laser. Patients with thin corneas are also at increased risk of halos and other visual errors due to complications with the corneal flap, which is why they have historically been precluded from undergoing LASIK.
Reducing the Risk of Halos
At Chicago Cornea Consultants™, Ltd., we feature the most advanced and effective LASIK technologies available, which dramatically helps to lower the incidence of side effects among our patients. Our advanced technologies that reduce the risk of post-procedural halos include:
IntraLase® laser: The revolutionary IntraLase® laser allows our surgeons to create corneal flaps without the use of the handheld microkeratome blade used in conventional LASIK procedures. This significantly reduces the risk of flap complications and, therefore, post-procedure side effects such as halos.
Furthermore, our ophthalmologists are among the most skilled and experienced in the country, increasing your odds of a superior outcome.
Learn More about Reducing the Risk of Post-LASIK Halos
To learn more about LASIK and how our advanced technology can help to reduce the risk of post-LASIK halos, please contact Chicago Cornea Consultants™, Ltd. today.
