LASIK, PRK, and SMILE are probably the safest major surgeries performed on the human body. But any surgery, even with our advanced laser technology and competent surgeon and staff, carries risk. The risks of LASIK for causing severe visual problems are extremely low, and when complications of LASIK ensue, they are generally amenable to improvement.
Upon arrival for your free laser vision correction consultation, all LASIK eye surgery risks and benefits are clearly disclosed to each patient in a detailed video presentation. Following the presentation a consent form will be provided to the patients re-capping (or summarizing) the information provided in the video. Any additional questions or information a patient may require can be discussed directly with the physician during the consultation or prior to surgery.
If you are interested in learning more about LASIK eye surgery risks, potential complications of LASIK, or if you’re interested in scheduling an appointment in North Canton, Canfield or Alliance OH, contact Roholt Vision Institute today.
DRY EYE (1-3%)
Dry eye can be aggravated or induced by LASIK or PRK. Since dry eye is more common in perimenopausal women, incidence after LASIK/PRK is highest in this group. Other factors contributing to dry eye include medications (birth control pills, antihypertensives, and antidepressants), and diseases such as thyroid, diabetes, and arthritis. A recent study by Steve Schallhorn, MD on thousands of LASIK patients showed that the incidence of dry eye was more related to the aging process than to LASIK.
The method of performing the LASIK flap can contribute to dryness. Recent evidence indicates that a thinner flap, as performed with a femtosecond laser, such as the Visumax as used at Roholt Vision Institute causes less interference with the corneal nerves involved in tear formation. The incidence of dry eye is believed to be lower with SMILE because the laser pocket opening is smaller than LASIK. Also PRK may cause less dryness than LASIK.
Slower recovery after LASIK can be expected in dry eye patients, sometimes with a slight reversal of effect (regression). Liberal treatment with eye lubricants, mucin-enhancing vitamins, or plugging of the tear drain ducts can be helpful while the tear production recovers after surgery. Pre- or post-treatment with the Envision RF/IPL can also enhance the tear film.
If you feel you may have a problem with dryness, contact us so we can evaluate your tear quality prior to LASIK.
MICROSTRIAE (Mild: 0.05 – 0.10%, Moderate-Severe: 0.05%)
These are subtle lines in the top layer of the flap as it drapes over the area treated by the laser. Mild striae usually cause little effect on vision.
Moderate/severe striae, or “macrostriae,” are caused by squeezing, rubbing, or trauma in the early postoperative period. They can be treated and smoothed out by an experienced surgeon.
The SMILE procedure has no flap, only a small laser incision, so microstriae are unlikely. PRK has no flap and thus no microstriae are possible.
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This was my first experience with Roholt and I was impressed. The staff is professional, knowledgable and made me feel at ease.
Wait times are always short and the entire staff is friendly and efficient !
Staff is friendly and helpful. Wait time is brief. Dr. Kubis explains things clearly. I have confidence that my eyes are being cared for by a competent staff and have been very pleased with treatment over the years
Everything went well, I'm doing fine. Dr. Wohl and staff were great. Ty.
Everybody was very kind.
Glad to have met Roholt, you were highly recommended by Dr. Zucker!
Very friendly staff, great experience with Dr.Young. Would highly recommend!
Roholt treats me epic! They tolerate my stupid humor and never fail to make me feel heard and seen. Not many medical places you can say that about huh? Amiright? Or amiright? I had cataract surgery in 2018 I think someplace else, and they fixed a few errors that were done back then for me and I’ve never left. I’m old… my vision is amazing, but boy the dry eye. They do everything they can to help me. From the front desk to Dr. Celmer, it’s always worth the visit, and I’m always treated great!
Great staff. Was well taken care of and vision is everything I hoped it would be. Added a goofy pic just because it lets you.
Doctors and staff are all wonderful. A more than acceptable option for your eye lens/cataract issues! Definitely would recommend!
Nice people. Prompt service.
Well treated and informed. I would recommend you to anyone that needs a good excellent eyecare.
From start to finish, all the employees I encountered were very professional and knowledgeable. All of my questions about my sight being blurry due to high blood sugar were answered, most before I even asked them. The technology was impressive and every room was crisp and clean. A great experience overall.
Roholt Vision is highly competent. They were professional, efficient, thorough, and friendly. After the exam they explained all the options available for my vision and recommended a process to follow. 5 Stars!
Dr. Mathie is just the best eye doctor ever. He listens to any concerns I have regarding my condition and gives excellent feedback when I ask questions. He actually cares about his patients and does not talk down to you. He explains everything in great detail. I absolutely recommend him to anyone with glaucoma or cataracts!
Everyone is such a pleasure. They always treat me fantastic. Can not say enough good about their employees
Absolutely the best staff humanely possible everybody's so polite nice helpful and very knowledgeable
The office was very professional and the staff helpful. Dr. Young was very knowledgeable, polite and took the time to make sure I understood my issues. Highly recommend Roholt Vision Eye Institute.
Always a very professional encounter from the front desk people to the medical assistants to the doctors. Highly recommended.
Very nice staff and Doctor! Appointment was good! 👍
Everyone was friendly and helpful, answering my questions. Dr. Young and staff was thorough in my examination for cataract surgery.
Great office very professional. Fast appt time
Very kind and professional.
I had to make a last minute appointment today and I was seen right away for the consultation. I am very satisfied with the care and attention given to my condition and the subsequent recommendations and follow up.
Very professional
Outstanding quality care!
Very professional and knowledgeable!!! Amber was very informative and explained every test that I was going through!!! Dr. Roholt was amazing!!!! Very knowledgeable and made me feel at ease about the cataract procedures that I could choose from. Highly recommend!!!!!
My experiences at Roholt Vision over 25+ years have always been completely thorough and efficient with excellent results.
The people who work here are very nice. They have cheerful attitudes . Answered all my questions.
Very professional yet friendly and explained everything that was being done. I was very pleased
Quick check up visit in and out and friendly staff.
It was an awesome experience and worth the drive. Very thorough exam and staff very professional. Would highly recommend!! 😊
Everybody is very friendly.
Good experience, always very friendly, though when checking you.
Very courteous staff. Excellent, and comfortable eye examination. The staff and Dr answered all questions throughly.
It is an efficient office setting. Everyone is pleasant and calm.
The staff were friendly and very knowledgeable
Staff was super helpful. Wish I would have went here ten years ago....
Friendly, efficient, transparent. An excellent experience.
Super friendly, courteous and professional staff throughout the office!
Everyone was helpful and professional. Take time to care.
For this being the first time going here in Canfield I had an awesome experience. Everyone was friendly and easy to talk to. From the receptionist, person doing my test, the doctor and the person setting me up for my cataract surgeries. I felt very comfortable. I would recommend this place to anyone who has eye issues or needs surgeries.
My visits have never fallen short of professional and friendly . Never had a bad visit.
So happy to have the great Dr. Wohl along with the best staff that is always upbeat and happy to be there for their patients! The office in Canfield is amazing!
Dr. Kubis is thorough and takes interest in your eye care. The entire staff is friendly, and most helpful. Dr. Kubis is someone I recommend to my family and friends for complete eye care.
Didn’t have to wait long and the nurse was quite nice.
the nurses were very polite and Dr Roholt explained everything so I could understand
The staff was amazing and friendly. Kayla who was in the room with me and did some testing was exceptional!! Dr. Kubis offered me more information and treatment options than I had been offered at another doctors office with no relief. I am excited to see how much improvement I get. Great experience.
Roholt Vision is the best. Professional and friendly staff.
I had prk done everything went smoothly procedure was alot faster then I expected staff and surgeon was great extremely friendly and made sure I understood what was being done highly recommend to anyone thinking about lasik or prk
UNDER/OVERRESPONSE (2-6%)
These are not actually complications of LASIK but can require retreatment. Variation in the individual response of human tissue to the laser treatment, along with individual healing factors, is the cause. Hyperopic LASIK over/underresponse is more common than occurs in myopic lasik. Underresponse or regression of effect is more common in patients with dry eye. Retreatment is usually done after 2-3 months.
The TENEO™ is probably the most accurate and including the Zeiss MEL-80™ precision these excimer lasers have lowered the retreatment rate by 60% compared to the early generation, broad beam lasers.
DIFFUSE LAMELLAR KERATITIS (Mild: 1-3%)
Inflammation can occur under the flap. Rarely, this can be due to bacteria (infectious), but usually the cause is unknown, and may be an allergic reaction. DLK is generally mild, has little effect on vision, and resolves within 1-2 weeks when appropriately treated.
In rare cases (<0.05%) DLK can progress to central toxic keratopathy (CTK) which can result in a corneal scar, blurred vision and refractive changes.
Some of the high volume, discount laser centers have had epidemics of DLK. DLK is also more common with the use of femtosecond lasers or “bladeless, all-laser LASIK.” This is due to separation of microscopic “tissue bridges” resulting in inflammation, occasionally requiring increased steroid treatment At Roholt Vision Institute, with the solid-state Visumax laser and strict adherence to sterile technique, DLK has only been mild and sporadic, with no serious sight threatening complications.
NIGHT GLARE/HALOS (Mild: 4%, Moderate: 2%)
Some patients, especially with higher degrees of myopia have night glare/halos from car or streetlights with spectacles or contact lenses. This glare can continue after LASIK, is usually worse for 1 -2 months, then gradually resolves. A study showed that few patients had serious glare and halos after LASIK, SMILE, or ICL.* Many patients having LASIK at Roholt Vision Institute report that night driving is better than before the procedure.
Some of the serious problems with glare/halos are a result of treatment by inexperienced surgeons, where the treatment zone is off-center.
The TENEO™ 317 and Zeiss MEL-80™ laser were chosen because their use in LASIK result in a very low incidence of adverse visual symptoms.
*Quality of vision after myopic refractive surgeries: SMILE, FS-LASIK, and ICL – PubMed (nih.gov)
VISUAL DISTORTION (0.05%)
Blurred vision and double images is one of the rare complications of LASIK. This can be due to irregular healing. It was more frequent in the past in relation to broad beam lasers which created “central islands.” Sometimes retreatment can help, but generally visual distortion improves slowly, and can take 1 to 2 years or more to resolve.
LASIK with the TENEO™ 317 or Zeiss MEL-80™ laser rarely causes visual distortion because of their rapid, computer controlled scan, smooth surface treatments, and unique accurate eyetrackers. Contact us for more information on LASIK eye surgery risks and advantages of these lasers.
PRESBYOPIA (100% If > Age 45)
Presbyopia is the age-related decrease in near reading ability. We include this as one of the “complications of LASIK” because often patients don’t understand why they develop a problem with reading vision after LASIK. For a myope, the effect of presbyopia is less when wearing eyeglasses than it is with contact lenses or LASIK.
Presbyopia is treated by wearing reading glasses, or by creating monovision: one eye is left nearsighted or treated with LASIK or Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) to do the reading, and the other eye receives LASIK to see the distance. Most people are then able to adjust, or “fuse” the images to one.
CORNEAL SCAR, THIN/TORN FLAP (0.03%)
Serious scarring or flap problems causing poor vision less than 20/40 are one of the LASIK eye surgery risks, but are extremely rare at Roholt Vision Institute. Torn flaps due to tissue adhesions are rare with the Zeiss Visumax laser. Buttonhole flaps used to occur more frequently with the Microkeratome, no longer used, and are also very rare with the Visumax (0.03%). The eye may then be allowed to heal before the procedure is repeated.
The newer advances such as the Zeiss Visumax flaps, SMILE, and All-Laser LASIK as used at Roholt Vision Institute make serious complications of LASIK extremely rare, and no patients using CustomCorrection™ treatment has attained a corrected vision of less than 20/30 without a pre-existing condition.
FREE CAP (0.5%)
If the hinge of the LASIK flap goes too far, especially with flat corneas, the flap becomes a “cap.” This is not serious, as the cap can be repositioned exactly like the flap. The natural hydrostatic pressure then causes the cap to adhere immediately, same as the flap. At Roholt Vision Institute we recommend “Bladeless, All-Laser LASIK” with the Visumax™ making this complication extremely unlikely.