At North County Laser Eye Associates, your safety, comfort, and satisfaction are our foremost concerns. As a result, we go above and beyond accepted safety and sterilization protocols to ensure that your LASIK experience is positive, from the moment you step into our office to the moment that you wake up without glasses and see the alarm clock clearly for the first time.
Nevertheless, despite our dedication to ensuring your safety and our skilled eye surgeons insistence on using only the most advanced technology and techniques to deliver superior results, no surgical procedure is without risks. LASIK is no exception. While complications may be rare, and serious, long-term complications even more so, patients should fully understand the potential risks and side effects associated with LASIK before committing to undergo the procedure.
One of the risks involved with every form of surgery, from the most minor to the most invasive, is infection. At our laser eye surgery center in Carlsbad, LASIK and the risk of infection are discussed in detail with candidates during their initial consultation with one of our talented eye surgeons. If, after learning about the risks and benefits of LASIK, you are confident in your decision to proceed with surgery, you can rest assured that you will be placing your precious vision in the best and most experienced of hands.
What is the risk of infection with LASIK?
LASIK has always had an excellent record of safety and success, from its very inception. Over the years, the rates of infection among LASIK patients have only dwindled. LASIK has become safer and more dependable as technology has progressed. Currently, among all forms of laser eye surgery, LASIK has the lowest rate of infection. Considering the low rate of infection with any form of laser eye surgery, that’s saying quite a lot.
Most post-surgical LASIK infections are rooted in complications with the flap made in the outermost layer of the cornea at the beginning of surgery. Generally, as long as patients follow the post-operative instructions with which they are provided before undergoing surgery, flap complications are extraordinarily rare, especially when they undergo blade-free iLASIK.
Why is blade-free iLASIK safer than conventional LASIK?
In conventional LASIK, a flap is made in the outermost layer of the cornea using a surgical device with an oscillating blade. This instrument, called a microkeratome, is extremely safe and has been used in millions of successful, complication-free LASIK surgeries. However, any time a handheld blade comes into contact with the human eye, there is some possibility of error, albeit minute.
At North County Laser Eye Associates, we offer an entirely blade-free alternative to conventional LASIK. The IntraLase system enables us to create the corneal flap that is necessary to LASIK using a highly precise laser that makes remarkably accurate and clean incisions. By minimizing the risk of human error that is inevitable with the mechanical microkeratome, we also minimize the risk of complications such as post-surgical infection.
Contact North County Laser Eye Associates Today
To learn more about how our advanced technology and techniques can help you enjoy all of the benefits of LASIK while minimizing the risks, please contact our laser eye surgery center today.
