Laser Eye Surgery for Older Patients: Scientists Weigh the Risks and Benefits

For millennia, humans have been forced to deal with the scourge of vision problems and weak eyesight. Although eyeglasses and, more recently, contact lenses have long aided people with poor vision, these devices do nothing to treat the underlying problem.

However, technological advances have now made it possible for people with ailing vision to restore or at least significantly improve their eyesight. Over the last several decades,  LASIK and other types of laser eye surgery have grown enormously popular, with over one million patients undergoing the procedure in the United States alone. The incidence of complications is relatively low, although the newness of the procedure has rendered the long-term effects of laser eye surgery somewhat difficult to determine.

The popularity of LASIK, laser eye surgery has created demand for the procedure among all segments of the population, including older men and women. As waning vision is a frequent part of the aging process, a growing number of elderly patients are now beginning to seek out laser eye surgery. However, scientific studies testing the safety and effectiveness of laser eye surgery for older men and women have shown mixed results.

This week, we?ll take a look at a few of the recent studies that have assessed the advantages and disadvantages of laser eye surgery for older men and women.

University of Chicago Scientists Assess the Suitability of LASIK for Older Patients

Acknowledging the recent increase in the number of elderly men and women who are interested in having LASIK or other forms of laser eye surgery performed, a group of researchers at the University of Chicago undertook a meta-analysis of older patients who had undergone the procedures. They assessed the rate of complications, unique challenges for older patients, and the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of the procedures.

Based on their analysis of the results, the overall safety and effectiveness of LASIK and laser eye surgery for older patients was comparable to the rates seen in other age groups. The only specific challenge facing elderly patients is the loss of elasticity in the lens that is a normal part of the aging process. To overcome this problem, a growing number of older patients are opting for a technique that is called ?monovision,? in which one eye is corrected for close-up vision and the other is corrected for distance vision.

On the issue of safety and complications, the scientists found that older patients were at slightly higher risk for post-surgery problems, but that overall, the incidence of these issues were not statistically greater than they were in the general population. Based on these findings, the scientists concluded that laser eye surgery is suitable for most elderly patients, as long as they have been prescreened for risk factors and age-related problems.

Vision Care May Help Alleviate Depression in Nursing Home Residents

Depression is a common problem among the elderly, as the prospect of aging, the impending approach of the end of life, and the increasing frequency of health problems begin to take their toll. Mild to severe depression is even more common among elderly men and women who live in residential treatment centers.

A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Alabama in Birmingham found that treating the eyesight and vision problems of elderly nursing home residents can help reduce the incidence and severity of depressive symptoms. Although the primary focus of the study was on the use of eyeglasses, the researchers also considered the possibility that laser eye surgery could be used in the same manner. They urged nursing home administrators and medical personnel to focus on alleviating common, easy-to-treat health problems such as a loss of visual acuity to help ease the symptoms of depression in elderly patients.

Laser Eye Surgery Techniques Could be Adapted for Use in Glaucoma Treatment

Glaucoma is a very common problem among elderly men and women, and current methods of treating the disorder often are not optimally effective. Researchers at Tel Aviv University have pioneered a new technique that combines the basic principles of laser eye surgery with standard glaucoma treatment.

The result of this new approach is a glaucoma treatment procedure that is safer, faster, and more effective, according to the research team. Although the study is still in its preliminary phases, the scientists report that early human trials have been successfully completed, and that the new technique could be made available to patients in the United States by the end of 2008.

If you?re thinking about undergoing laser eye surgery, talk to a qualified practitioner to determine whether this procedure is right for you. Please check back each week for more late-breaking health and science news!

Recent Studies Assess Risks and Benefits of Laser Eye Surgery

Even a few short decades ago, the notion that many vision problems could be permanently corrected with a short outpatient procedure would have been rejected as too far-fetched and futuristic. Today, significant advances in medical technology have made this once-outlandish proposition a reality for millions of people.

The procedure known as Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis -- LASIK, for short -- has revolutionized vision treatment. To date, over one million patients have undergone LASIK surgery in the United States alone. Although the long-term efficacy of the procedure is still a controversial question -- many critics claim that repeated rounds of LASIK could be inevitable for patients with progressively worsening vision -- the popularity of laser eye surgery is unquestionable.

However, because LASIK is still a relatively recent development, some scientists have argued that we still don't know all there is to know about the safety and risks of laser eye surgery. This week, we'll take a look at some of the research results from recent studies that have weighed the risks and benefits of LASIK and other laser eye surgery procedures.

Study of Extremely Nearsighted Patients Proves Effectiveness of LASIK

Although several forms of laser eye surgery have been developed since the 1990s, LASIK is the procedure that is commonly used to treat patients with a severe level of myopia - the vision problem that is commonly referred to as nearsightedness.

An international research team that paired scientists at institutions in Spain and Turkey recently undertook a large-scale study of highly myopic patients who underwent the LASIK procedure. 98 patients whose severe myopia required the strongest form of LASIK treatment were assessed ten years after they had undergone the procedure.

According to the study's findings, even the strongest form of LASIK proved to be safe and effective for the vast majority of patients. Although 27% of the patients studied eventually had to submit to a second round of LASIK to correct further vision changes, only six patients experienced long-term complications. The researchers concluded that these results affirmed the long-term safety and effectiveness of even the strongest applications of LASIK technology.

LASIK Safe for Most Middle-Aged and Elderly Patient, Research Shows

The growing popularity of LASIK has increased demand for the procedure among patients in all age groups. However, the unique vision and health problems that face patients in the 40-69 age group requires special consideration before the procedure can be undertaken.

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago recently conducted a study that focused on assessing the risks and benefits of LASIK treatment for individuals in the 40-69 age group. The scientists analyzed the pre- and post-procedure health records of 424 patients who underwent treatment for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.

According to the findings, the general results of the treatment were positive amongst all patients in this age group. Although the corneas of older patients take longer to heal and the final outcome of corrected vision is not as uniformly positive as is typical in younger age groups, the general safety of the procedure was still confirmed.

The scientists urged that patients in the 40-69 age group should be briefed about their unique risks and challenges before undergoing the LASIK procedure. In particular, the researchers cautioned that older patients should be informed that the possibility of reclaiming perfect vision is unlikely, due to the inevitable vision changes that come with advancing age.

Bacterial Infections after LASIK Surgery a Growing Concern

The troubling trend of Staph infections have been in the news lately, as researchers trace the rise of a drug-resistant strain of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. In a recent issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, a group of clinicians reported on the growing number of post-LASIK patients who are presenting with Staph infections of the surgical site.

The authors note that LASIK patients who work in or around the healthcare industry are at particular risk of contracting the infection. They cite the case of a male nurse whose LASIK-corrected vision was returned to pre-surgery levels of acuity as the result of a serious bout of drug-resistant Staph infection.

The authors recommend that LASIK patients be warned to report any sign of post-surgery infection or complications. They also suggest that health care workers who undergo LASIK treatment should be particularly vigilant for signs of Staph infection.

If you're considering LASIK surgery, your doctor will be able to help you determine if the procedure is right for you. He or she will be able to refer you to a reputable LASIK specialist in your area.