Risks of LASIK Eye
Surgery May Be Understated
LASIK News & Lawyers Updates
In the United States, more than a million people each year have
corrective laser eye surgery, and about 50,000 of those suffer
vision problems or vision loss due to failure of the laser equipment
or medical malpractice.
Laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) centers can be found
just about anywhere – in shopping malls, office buildings and health
clinics. With so much competition, LASIK practitioners often resort
to false and misleading advertisements about their high success
rates with the “virtually risk free” eye surgery. Rarely are the
serious side effects of the procedure mentioned.
Many patients have said they were never fully informed of the severe
problems that could result from the surgery, and that has become the
reason behind hundreds of medical malpractice lawsuits have already
been filed against laser eye surgeons. According to the Food and
Drug Administration, here are some of the life-altering risks rarely
mentioned in LASIK advertisements:
- Loss of vision. Some patients lose lines of vision on the
vision chart that cannot be corrected with glasses, contact
lenses or surgery as a result of treatment.
- Debilitating visual symptoms. Some patients develop glare,
halos and/or double vision that can seriously affect nighttime
vision.
- Undertreatment or overtreatment. Only a certain percent of
patients achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts. You
may require additional treatment, but additional treatment may
not be possible.
- Severe dry eye syndrome. As a result of surgery, your eye
may not be able to produce enough tears to keep the eye moist
and comfortable.
- Poor results. Results are generally not as good in patients
with very large refractive errors of any type.
- Results don't last. For some farsighted patients, results
may diminish with age.
LASIK eye surgery is still considered new technology. The first
laser was approved for LASIK in 1998. The long-term safety and
effectiveness of LASIK surgery is not known. The Federal Trade
Commission is now cautioning that LASIK surgery is "too new to know
if there are any long-term ill effects beyond five years after
surgery."
Problems with the surgery are getting more attention because of an
increase in malpractice lawsuits. In addition, recent bankruptcies
have prompted laser eye clinics to close, causing scores of patients
to scramble for follow-up medical care.
LASIK EYE SURGERY LAWYERS / ATTORNEYS
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or vision loss due to
LASIK eye surgery, you should consider receiving a free legal
evaluation from an experienced LASIK lawyer. For a free evaluation
of your situation please complete the following form and a LASIK
attorney will contact you promptly -- free of charge.
LASIK EYE SURGERY NEWS
& UPDATES
NJ
Man Settles for $2.1 Million After Eye Surgery
A New Jersey man who alleged laser eye
surgery worsened his vision has settled his lawsuit for $2.1 million against
the prominent surgeon who did the procedure. The plaintiff’s lawyer said his
client was now legally blind.
Jury Awards Woman $944,000 in Lasik Malpractice Lawsuit
A doctor must pay nearly $1 million to a patient who
suffered problems after having Lasik eye surgery.
The patient eventually had to
have a corneal transplant on one eye and still needs surgery on the other.
Broker wins $7.25M in botched eye surgery suit
New York Daily News
A former Wall Street broker won a $7.25 million civil suit after a botched
laser eye surgery that he says left his vision permanently damaged. The
award, handed down by a jury in Manhattan Supreme Court, is believed to be
the biggest so far in cases involving LASIK surgery.
Know your options before having LASIK surgery
News Leader
The U.S. Food and Drug Agency also suggests that when considering any type
of refractive surgery, make sure you compare doctors' equipment and
experience. Risks and benefits can vary not only from procedure to
procedure, but from device to device depending on the manufacturer, and from
surgeon to surgeon depending on their level of experience.
What
are the risks and how can I find the right doctor for me?
FDA
Most patients are very pleased with the results of their refractive surgery.
However, like any other medical procedure, there are risks involved. That's
why it is important for you to understand the limitations and possible
complications of refractive surgery.
LASIK
risks understated
USA Today
With more than 1 million patients expected to undergo the procedure this
year, thousands are learning what the ads don't say: The surgery can cause
life-altering complications that sometimes can't be fixed.
Contact us for
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