News Coverage
July 27 & 31, 2000
Globe and Mail
The Clear Truth About Laser Vision Correction
You may have read it in the paper or heard it on the news. A much-publicized and controversial study by Dr. William Jory of the London (England) Centre of Refractive Surgery suggests that impaired night vision is a common long-term side effect of laser eye surgery.
Dr. Jory reported an alarming 56% of patients tested experienced reduced night vision after LASIK and PRK surgery.
If you have been considering laser eye surgery, this report may very well have led you to second-guess a decision you have put a great deal of thought into.
As professional surgeons and pioneering researchers who have dedicated our careers to helping patients experience the benefits of clear vision without glasses and contact lenses, we feel obliged to speak on behalf of laser vision surgery—and clear up some facts that have been blurred by this study.
Clarification #1: less than 1.08% of patients report night vision problems.
In truth, a very small number of patients experience minor night vision difficulties after laser eye surgery. Dr. Jory examined an extremely narrow sample group of 38 patients, all of whom had moderate to severe corrections. This overlooks the majority of cases—since most patients have low correction requirements.
Clarification #2: laser technology has improved dramatically over the years.
The patients tested by Dr. Jory were all treated using first-generation lasers, known as broad beam lasers. Though it represented an early breakthrough, broad beam technology did have its drawbacks, including side effects such as corneal haze, and uneven contours.
In contrast, leading practices use the revolutionary scanning slit or flying spot lasers. These advanced lasers provide smooth corneal curvatures with a computer controlled transition zone.
In addition, the eligibility criteria for surgery have changed. For example, Lasik surgery is not performed on people who are very nearsighted (high myopes). With such precautions, night vision side effects are a problem only in unusual circumstances.
Clarification #3: some patients are more pre-disposed to complications than others.
Not all eyes are alike. And while most procedures are very routine, some people have conditions that put them at greater risk for night vision problems, such as large pupils and high degrees of myopia and hyperopia. For these patients, other forms of surgery are available, such as implantable contact lenses and refractive lensectomy.
Instruments are available to measure the pupil in darkness using infra-red light. When applicable, this information will assist your surgeon in predicting night vision problems and advising which procedure will offer you the best results.
Make your decision about laser eye surgery an educated one.
Laser eye surgery has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for vision correction in selected patients. As recognized pioneers and research leaders in the field of eye surgery, we advise you to not take your decision lightly. Eyesight is an important gift.
Before you sign up for corrective eye surgery make sure you know all the options. Ask questions about your eyes. Ask questions about the procedure, test results and the risk of night vision problems or other complications.
If you can, talk to those who have experienced the magic of restored vision. Their success stories are truly inspirational, and will give you all the reason you need to believe in the positive impact of laser vision correction or other vision correction procedures.
For more information call 1.877.866.8886