One of the most amazing medical revolutions of the past few years has been the development of laser eye surgery. Thousands of people who formerly wore spectacles, glasses or contact lenses have been freed from these by the use of lasers to correct the issues with the patient’s eyesight.
LASIK – short for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis” is the most commonly performed laser eye surgery and can be used to treat short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hyperopia) and also astigmatism. In most cases the laser eye surgery is pain free and can be completed within 15 minutes for both eyes. The results can usually be noticed within 24 hours.
How does it work?
After performing a range of tests to ensure that LASIK eye surgery is appropriate, the surgeon will first cut a small flap in the cornea using a tool called a microkeratome or a femtosecond laser. He or she will then fold back the hinged flap to access the underlying cornea where some tissue will be removed using an excimer laser. This highly specialised laser has a cool ultraviolet beam that is used to remove microscopic amounts of tissue which effectively reshapes the cornea so that it accurately focuses more light onto the retina with the result of improved vision and clarity.
Short-sighted people have the cornea flattened slightly whereas in the case of long-sight, the cornea is made slightly steeper. With people who suffer from astigmatism the laser can smooth an irregular shaped cornea into a more normal shape, reducing the vision issues.
After the laser is used to reshape the cornea the flap is laid back in place and allowed to heal naturally. No bandages or stitches are required, just topical anaesthetic eye drops.
What if it goes wrong?
Before commencing any surgery, a competent surgeon will perform a range of tests to discover if laser eye surgery is suitable for any patient. There are a variety of reasons as to why some patients might not be suitable for this kind of procedure and these must be indentified before any procedure takes place. In some cases mistakes can be made, and the results of these mistakes can be life changing.
If you, or someone you know has had laser-eye surgery performed and it has not gone to plan, the first person you should contact is your doctor, to ensure you are being treated appropriately, but your second call should be to one of our solicitors. We have years of experience in dealing with these kinds of cases and should swiftly be able to tell you if you entitled to make a claim for compensation, and if so how much that claim could be worth. Contact us today to get the pay out you deserve.