Lasik eye surgery
USA- Cbsnews.com writes that while doctors have been performing Lasik eye surgery for two decades, one physician and former adviser to the FDA is saying the procedure is not safe. More than twenty million people in America had the procedure performed as a way to correct nearsighted vision.
However, there is some indication that the procedure actually caused severe damage to people’s eyesight.
The surgery involves the use of a laser which cuts a flap of the eye and then reshapes the cornea. The procedure is considered minimally invasive.
The former advisor to the FDA admits that he was originally in favor of the procedure.
One patient who underwent the procedure said that after the surgery, he struggled to see, saw things in double, and starbursts would appear when he looked at lights. The man was unable to drive and struggled to complete his work. Eventually, he found an optometrist who fitted him with special contact lenses.
Another patient suffered damage after having the surgery performed early 19 years ago. She says she has suffered vision problems ever since undergoing LASIK.
According to the FDA, more than 95 percent of patients who undergo this surgery are happy with the results. And yet, the FDA’s website contains patient reports of eye pain, detached retinas, dizziness, and other serious problems from the surgery.
The doctor attempted to have the procedure recalled in 2011. The FDA refused the request. The Administration now responded to inquiries by saying that they had no new information about risks presented by LASIK.
The former advisor stated that patients considering the surgery would be better off going and getting glasses. He stressed that these individuals have healthy eyes, making surgery unnecessary.
