Craig F. Beyer, DO

Overall, when compared to potential complications from wearing contact lenses, the safety of LASIK is very similar.  However, we now perform more ASA (Advanced Surface Ablation) over LASIK because it removes the risks associated with making the corneal flap and thus, our evidence suggests that ASA is even safer than contacts.  We also have improved the technique of ASA so that the recovery is very similar to LASIK.

Of course, as long as your corneal curvature and corneal thickness is normal.  For under-correction, enhancements can be done as early as 3 months.  For over-correction, best to wait up to 6 months.

Cysts under the flap are not a problem if your vision is not affected.  If it does affect your vision, these cysts can be removed by your eye surgeon by simply lifting the flap and removing the cells with a sterile sponge.  There's a 10% incidence of this occurring in people who LASIK over 3 years prior to an enhancement procedure.

This is entirely normal to experience halos and starbursts at 21 days postop.  It takes a considerable time for the flap swelling to completely resolved and for the corneal stroma to remodel.  Also, dry eyes contribute to this problem.  Age also plays a factor; older people take longer to resolve healing issues. Typically, night vision reaches its best at 6 mos postop.

LASIK is a very good alternative to treat astigmatism, myopia, or hyperopia after undergoing astigmatism and is performed quite regularly for this purpose.  This is much safer than attempting to remove your current intraocular and then try to replace it with another power.