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A former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulator has publically expressed concerns about the safety of LASIK
laser eye surgery.
Morris Waxler, the former head of the FDA branch responsible for reviewing the data on LASIK, told ABC News that the possible side effects of the treatment were not taken seriously enough.
"I wouldn't say it was pooh-poohed so much - it was just sort of shoved aside as the kind of, we, we don't know what to do with that data," he said.
"It's right there in the record. The agencies and the refractive surgeons, people know these problems occur and there doesn't seem to be a plan to handle some of the more difficult problems that are created."
LASIK surgery involves using a laser to cut a small flap in the eye's cornea to allow for reshaping of the corneal tissue with another laser.
While most procedures take place without issue, a number of patients who have undergone LASIK
laser eye surgery have come forward saying they suffered from side effects such as starbursts, halos, glare double-vision and night blindness following the procedure.
Some of these side effects can seriously impact peoples' quality of life, for example by preventing them from driving.
If people are nervous about the risks of
laser eye surgery then they may prefer to use Ortho-k contact lenses as an alternative.
The lenses are worn overnight while the wearer sleeps and then are removed the next day, leaving the individual with perfect natural vision without the need for glasses or regular contact lenses.
They work by gently reshaping the cornea while they are being worn and are perfect for people who play sports as it means they do not have to risk damaging their glasses or losing their contacts.
Eye Laser Surgery: How do i-GO contact lenses compare to eye laser surgery?
By Nick Howard
