Long-term LASIK studies proving positive

One of the problems with new procedures is that the long-term effects are generally untested. One such example is LASIK eye surgery that uses lasers to correct vision problems. It has been in use since the early 1990s and over 18 million procedures have been performed worldwide. However only recently has there been enough time to evaluate its effects on patients over the long-term.

One such study was done by researchers from Miguel Hernandez University, Medical School, Alicante, Spain; and Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. The findings show that "LASIK for myopia over -10 D is a safe and effective procedure in the long-term." Specifically:

96 high myopic eyes of 118 patients, preoperatively needing at least 10 diopter (10 D) corrections to achieve 20/20 vision, were evaluated ten years following surgery. Uncorrected vision was 77% of best-corrected vision (BSCVA) before surgery. BSCVA improved 1 line. Only 5% of eyes lost more than 2 lines of BSCVA and 40% avoided the use of glasses. 119 (61 %) of eyes were within ± 2.00 Diopters at 10 years. Only 2 eyes (1%) developed corneal ectasia. The retreatment rate was 27%.

The above was summarized by one of the researchers as "extremely encouraging considering that this refractive correction implies the maximum limit of application of this technique. This study has allowed us to demonstrate that, in spite of the prejudices about the limits of LASIK technique, the results regarding predictability, efficacy and safety for high myopic patients are very good in the long term."

If you are considering LASIK surgery, this should be one more data point in support of its safety and success rate.