Can Pupils be too Large for LASIK Surgery?
The outcome of LASIK surgery is directly related to how well you fit the criteria for being a good LASIK candidate. Your LASIK doctor will check for a number of risk factors that may cause possible complications after LASIK eye surgery. Measurement of your pupil size is an important part of your LASIK consultation. When determining if you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery, you need to consider the size of your pupils. Your LASIK doctor will measure your pupil size during the initial examination and this will be a contributing factor in determining if you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery.
You may wonder why pupil sizes matter when determining your eligibility for LASIK eye surgery. It is important to know your pupil size because patients with large pupils are at an additional risk for complications associated with LASIK eye surgery. Some of these patients can potentially be left with an over correction, poor night vision or blurry vision following LASIK eye surgery. Poor night vision can include seeing starbursts or halos or simply not being able to make out fine details, which is also known as a loss of contrast sensibility. In some extreme cases, these effects can be so debilitating that patients can no longer drive at night. If you are a patient with large pupils, you need to seriously consider any additional risks for complication because these complications can alter your lifestyle and may change your everyday routine. Your doctor has an obligation to warn you about these risks and you have the responsibility of asking your doctor questions that will help to determine what your risks are before you undergo surgery.
Not everyone who has large pupils is automatically excluded from LASIK eye surgery. Some experts feel that other contributing factors in addition to a large pupil size, are the causes of LASIK complications. Patients that need to be checked for large pupils should also be informed of any risks associated with their unique condition. Patients with large pupils may not be considered good candidates for LASIK eye surgery and for their own safety they should respect this decision. Patients with large pupils need to carefully consider LASIK and seek out the opinion of a trusted LASIK eye surgeon before undergoing the procedure.
