Eye Surgery Advancements Do Carry Risks
There are many technological advancements that relate to care of our eyes. Our eyes may be the windows to our souls, but when we are fortunate to be born with vision, it is also a gift that we need to protect for our lives. That is why if our eyes or our vision are impaired as we age, or if we are born with compromised vision, Lasik and cataract surgeries are sought and often make improvements in our visual acuity. These procedures are relatively safe and are time-tested. However, there are also some instances in which a patient goes in for vision improvement surgery and leaves with vision impairment which might be immediate or may develop in the days and weeks after surgery. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is a good source to understand the benefits and risks of these procedures.
Lasik is Not Like Going to the Dentist
For many years, laser eye surgery or Lasik (Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis), has been promoted as a nearly risk-free surgery that can help those who undergo it, can essentially toss their glasses out. The Food and Drug Administration approved Lasik procedures in 1998 and it is relatively safe. But this is not the only story with regard to Lasik surgery. In fact, about small percentage of patients who receive this treatment, end up with Lasik surgery injury or vision impairments. If you are one of these patients, it is life changing, or can be. These include anything from double or triple vision which can be disorienting and difficult to manage in daily life. Some patients have experienced sensitivity to light after a surgery, making night driving difficult.
The problem is that under the law, patients are to be provided a full explanation of the potential risks of this surgery and when they are not, those who have complications are stunned and seek legal support. These generally safe surgeries do not always end up as they should. Patients who have complications wish they could get their old less-good vision back.
Lasik surgery candidates should be well-screened prior to having this treatment. Screening patients for this surgery requires knowledge by the ophthalmologist performing the surgery of the patient’s medical history. If the patient has an auto-immune disorder, has dry eyes already or has a corneal issue, such as thin cornea or dystrophy, that patient may not be a good candidate for Lasik surgery.
Programming Lasik Instruments Has to Be Correct, Or …
In this procedure, a patient’s eyes will be numbed and a suction ring put directly onto the eye. This device flattens the cornea which is ultimately lifted after corneal tissue is created with a microsurgical device which can either be a laser or a blade. A device that has been already been programmed for the particular patient’s eye is placed above the eye and should be checked by the ophthalmology surgeon. The patient looks at a small target light and the laser “sculpts” the corneal tissue.
Sometimes this preprograming of the devices used in the surgery or the checking of the device prior to the sculpting of the tissue, is incorrect. When this happens, patients can end up with complications such as blurry vision, dry eye and other issues that impair their vision and most often cannot be reversed. Patients who end up with complications after Lasik surgery are bringing their cases to court for settlement or for trial. We have represented clients who have suffered from various issues after surgery that could have been avoided and are the result of ophthalmological malpractice.
Scholle Law helps those injured in a Lasik surgery procedure and has experience in recovering damages for them. As most patients know, their doctors are covered by malpractice insurance and while you might like or trust your doctor, when he or she makes a mistake and you are harmed, it is understandable that you would want to get help for your future care, pain and suffering and loss of wages, if any. Please contact our law firm for more information about what you can do to secure your legal rights and recover for your injuries.