Though it is the most prevalent of laser eye surgeries, LASIK has its share of complications. The post-operative complication rate is estimated from 3% to 6%. LASIK eye surgery involves cutting a flap of the corneal tissue with a hinge being left at one end of the flap. The flap is then folded back to reveal the stroma, the middle section of the cornea. After reshaping the corneal tissue with the aid of a high precision laser, typically the excimer laser, the flap is repositioned so as to remain in place by natural adhesion until it heals completely.
The LASIK procedure entails certain flap complications. Among the post-operative flap complications, a slipped flap is one of the most common. The corneal flap created during the operation may inadvertently detach from the rest of the cornea. It is imperative that the patient goes home and sleeps after surgery so as to let the flap heal, since the chances of flap dislocation are the greatest immediately after the surgery.
Other types of flap complications include folds in flaps and undesired epithelial in-growth. Post-operative folds in flap typically necessitate repositioning of the flap. Flap related problems are...