Laser Surgery Scores Eye-Opening Success

Poor eyesight forced Judy Withee to wear either glasses or contact lenses since she was 8 years old. After more than 40 years of blurred vision, the San Diego executive decided to do something about her eyesight. Withee opted for an increasingly popular surgery known as laser vision correction. It uses a beam of laser light to reshape the surface of the eye. It can wipe out problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

"I can wake up in the morning and actually see the clock and how to get out of bed without stumbling for my glasses," she said.

Withee is one of millions of people who've turned to laser vision surgery. Doctors performed more than 400,000 procedures in the U.S. last year. That's expected to double this year.

Why is laser surgery so popular? The surgery is quick -- no more than 30 minutes. Recovery times are fast as well. Patients see well enough by the next day to drive a car.

"We're seeing excellent results," said Dr. Gary Shute, the San Diego-based optometrist who treated Withee. "Almost no pain and extremely low complication rates."

There are two types of laser procedures -- photorefractive keratectomy, PRK, and laser in-situ keratomileusis, or LASIK. ln PRK, doctors reshape your cornea, the surface of the eye. An excimer laser uses pulses of cool light, to vaporize a small amount of tissue. That helps images focus more sharply. In LAS1K, the surgeon first cuts a small flap on the cornea. The laser is then used to treat the corneal layers beneath the flap. Patients who pick the LASIK procedure tend to recover faster with less discomfort. LASIK now accounts for nearly 88% of the vision correction procedures done in the U.S.

"The faster visual recovery and the comfort of LASIK are significant advantages," said Dr. Guy Kezirian, spokesman for the International Society of Refractive Surgery.

Both procedures save people the cost and inconvenience of glasses and contacts with little hassle. The outpatient surgery requires only a few post-operative check- ups.

"I found an optometrist and he examined my eyes and then referred me to an eye surgeon," said Marilyn Gauntt, a San Diego administrative assistant. "There was no pain, no fuss and no bother. I had to wear an eve patch for the first 24 hours, but the outcome was wonderful. I can see things in thc distance like road signs with no fuzziness at all."

Is the procedure right for you? Consulting with an eye-care specialist is your best bet for finding out. Good candidates must have healthy eyes with stable vision for at least one year before the surgery. Pregnant women and people with autoimmune or degenerative diseases are poor candidates.

Even then, not everyone would benefit from vision correction surgery. Because there are different levels of farsightedness, for example, some people with that condition wouldn't be helped by the procedure.

While there have been few cases of complications, laser surgery isn't without risk. Side effects can include glare, corneal haze, scarring and infection. Still, doctors say there's little chance of error since the cool beam of light is controlled by a computer.

The procedure isn't cheap. Costs range from $2,000 to $2,500 per eye.

Since laser vision correction is an elective surgery, few insurance plans will reimburse you. Many eye doctors offer financing plans to help patients tackle the surgery price tag.