FDA warns that LASIK surgery patients need to be better informed of risks before eye procedure
Fox News
The FDA released draft guidance on LASIK surgery, noting that patients considering the eye surgery should get a "decision checklist" describing the procedure, plus a list of potential side effects.
The FDA's guidance states that patients considering LASIK surgery should be given a "decision checklist" that describes the procedure. "We have learned a lot about the risks but also enormous benefits of laser vision correction as compared to contact lens overwear and contact lens-related infections." Concerns about informing the patient about LASIK risks were raised over a decade ago. The agency collected data about side effects that patients experienced post-op, but also acknowledged that more than 95% of participants in one study said they were satisfied with their vision following LASIK surgery. Some said the guidelines were needed — while others expressed concern that the document appeared to be one-sided. "The draft made me more aware of [the] side effects." Amy McGorry is a contributing health reporter for Fox News Digital. Follow her on Twitter @amymcgorry.
Patients should also receive a list of potential side effects that may include dry eyes, difficulty driving at night, double vision, seeing halos around objects and in some cases persistent eye pain and a need for glasses, the FDA said in the same paper.
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