III. Public Health Alert - Key Warnings

• Safety problems (risks)

  • Adverse event percentages

    • Persistent adverse events, including dry eyes and night vision difficulties: >20%
    • Other problems: >1%
    • Sight threatening thinning and bulging of the cornea (keratectasia): at least 0.66%

  • Permanent pathology in cornea

    • LASIK flap

      • Never heals
      • May be accidentally dislodged for the rest of a patient's lifetime

    • Mechanical strength of post-LASIK cornea only ~2% strength of normal cornea
    • Progressive loss of corneal cells for years after LASIK
    • Corneal nerve damage never fully recovers

  • Types of adverse events to expect

    • Glare, halos, dry eye and compromised night driving
    • Permanent loss of contrast sensitivity
    • Unstable vision
    • Permanent corneal haze
    • Permanent dry eye
    • Night time vision permanently impaired
    • Vision improvements from LASIK will likely decline with age
    • May require corneal transplant, expensive special hard contact lenses, or cross-linking treatment due to thinning and bulging of the cornea
    • Extreme light sensitivity

• Benefits (effectiveness) — about 43% of LASIK cases may have temporary freedom from wearing spectacles or contact lenses