Is LASIK Safe?
People who struggle with vision issues often wonder if a laser vision correction procedure such as LASIK might be a better option for them than glasses or contact lenses. For those who take the next step to consider LASIK eye surgery, frequently the first question that comes to mind is: Is LASIK safe?
By every scientific and clinical standard, LASIK is among the safest elective procedures available today. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any risks and it isn’t necessarily right for every person. A few basic facts that many patients find comforting include:
- LASIK has been around for nearly 20 years.
- The procedure was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1999
- LASIK’s longevity and sustained popularity is due largely to its impressive record for both safety and effectiveness.
- Millions of LASIK procedures have been performed in the U.S. with very high patient satisfaction in visual outcomes.
- The rate of complications from LASIK eye surgery is estimated to be less than 1 percent, which makes it one of the safest elective surgical procedures available today.