Risk of Lasik Surgery vs Contact Lenses

Laser in situ keratomileusis versus long-term contact lens wear: Decision analysis

“…First, there may be more events of vision loss with long-term soft contact lens wear than with LASIK. 10 Second, the events associated with LASIK occur earlier; thus, patients accumulate more time with vision loss. Third, the vision loss from contact lens-associated keratitis can be more severe than vision loss with LASIK; therefore, the years of relatively worse disability must be weighted more heavily.…”

“…Several large epidemiologic studies have evaluated contact lens wearers and documented the risk for infectious keratitis and subsequent vision loss. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Comparing the results of these 2 alternatives to spectacle correction, Mathers et al 10 commented in 2006 that the risk for vision loss with refractive surgery may be lower than that with a lifetime of contact lens use.…”

Laser in situ keratomileusis versus long-term contact lens wear: Decision analysis

“…First, there may be more events of vision loss with long-term soft contact lens wear than with LASIK. 10 Second, the events associated with LASIK occur earlier; thus, patients accumulate more time with vision loss. Third, the vision loss from contact lens-associated keratitis can be more severe than vision loss with LASIK; therefore, the years of relatively worse disability must be weighted more heavily.…”

“…Several large epidemiologic studies have evaluated contact lens wearers and documented the risk for infectious keratitis and subsequent vision loss. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Comparing the results of these 2 alternatives to spectacle correction, Mathers et al 10 commented in 2006 that the risk for vision loss with refractive surgery may be lower than that with a lifetime of contact lens use.…”

Contact Lens Safety for the Correction of Refractive Error in Healthy Eyes

“…Although one might presume that contact lens wear is safer than refractive surgery, it has been argued that infection may be eight times higher with lifetime daily contact lens use compared with laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). 1 However, more recently, Wu et al 2 reported that daily wear contact lenses and extended wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses need to be worn for 103 (95% CI 103–391) and 25 (95% CI 25–79) years, respectively, to equal the rate of vision loss equivalent to a one-off LASIK procedure. Despite the generally low risk of vision loss with contact lens wear or refractive surgery, vision-threatening complications do occur.…”

Update on Paediatric Refractive Surgery

“…[79][80][81][82] In a comparative risk study analysis of daily wear soft contact lens wear and LASIK, risk of long-term contact lens wear was higher than LASIK surgery for low to moderate myopia. 79,80 One of the main concerns with laser refractive surgery in younger children is requirement for general anaesthesia. This will impair self-fixation of the pupil into the laser target beam, thus possibly allowing for ablative treatment zone not to be aligned with visual axis.…”

Laser in situ keratomileusis versus long-term contact lens wear: Decision analysis

“…First, there may be more events of vision loss with long-term soft contact lens wear than with LASIK. 10 Second, the events associated with LASIK occur earlier; thus, patients accumulate more time with vision loss. Third, the vision loss from contact lens-associated keratitis can be more severe than vision loss with LASIK; therefore, the years of relatively worse disability must be weighted more heavily.…”

“…Several large epidemiologic studies have evaluated contact lens wearers and documented the risk for infectious keratitis and subsequent vision loss. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Comparing the results of these 2 alternatives to spectacle correction, Mathers et al 10 commented in 2006 that the risk for vision loss with refractive surgery may be lower than that with a lifetime of contact lens use.…”

Contact Lens Safety for the Correction of Refractive Error in Healthy Eyes

“…Although one might presume that contact lens wear is safer than refractive surgery, it has been argued that infection may be eight times higher with lifetime daily contact lens use compared with laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). 1 However, more recently, Wu et al 2 reported that daily wear contact lenses and extended wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses need to be worn for 103 (95% CI 103–391) and 25 (95% CI 25–79) years, respectively, to equal the rate of vision loss equivalent to a one-off LASIK procedure. Despite the generally low risk of vision loss with contact lens wear or refractive surgery, vision-threatening complications do occur.…”

Update on Paediatric Refractive Surgery

“…[79][80][81][82] In a comparative risk study analysis of daily wear soft contact lens wear and LASIK, risk of long-term contact lens wear was higher than LASIK surgery for low to moderate myopia. 79,80 One of the main concerns with laser refractive surgery in younger children is requirement for general anaesthesia. This will impair self-fixation of the pupil into the laser target beam, thus possibly allowing for ablative treatment zone not to be aligned with visual axis.…”

Laser in situ keratomileusis versus long-term contact lens wear: Decision analysis

“…First, there may be more events of vision loss with long-term soft contact lens wear than with LASIK. 10 Second, the events associated with LASIK occur earlier; thus, patients accumulate more time with vision loss. Third, the vision loss from contact lens-associated keratitis can be more severe than vision loss with LASIK; therefore, the years of relatively worse disability must be weighted more heavily.…”

“…Several large epidemiologic studies have evaluated contact lens wearers and documented the risk for infectious keratitis and subsequent vision loss. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Comparing the results of these 2 alternatives to spectacle correction, Mathers et al 10 commented in 2006 that the risk for vision loss with refractive surgery may be lower than that with a lifetime of contact lens use.…”

Contact Lens Safety for the Correction of Refractive Error in Healthy Eyes

“…Although one might presume that contact lens wear is safer than refractive surgery, it has been argued that infection may be eight times higher with lifetime daily contact lens use compared with laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). 1 However, more recently, Wu et al 2 reported that daily wear contact lenses and extended wear silicone hydrogel contact lenses need to be worn for 103 (95% CI 103–391) and 25 (95% CI 25–79) years, respectively, to equal the rate of vision loss equivalent to a one-off LASIK procedure. Despite the generally low risk of vision loss with contact lens wear or refractive surgery, vision-threatening complications do occur.…”

Update on Paediatric Refractive Surgery

“…[79][80][81][82] In a comparative risk study analysis of daily wear soft contact lens wear and LASIK, risk of long-term contact lens wear was higher than LASIK surgery for low to moderate myopia. 79,80 One of the main concerns with laser refractive surgery in younger children is requirement for general anaesthesia. This will impair self-fixation of the pupil into the laser target beam, thus possibly allowing for ablative treatment zone not to be aligned with visual axis.…”