risks

The risks related to the operation are minimal.

The major risk is to develop a post-operative infection on the cornea: the cut out of the cornea, but also the gesture on the most superficial area of the cornea, called "cornean epithelium" is enough to promote the development of a bacterial, viral or mycotic infection.

This risk is very well understood by those who wear contact lenses because they know the problems due to the contact of the lens on the corneal surface, which causes a lot of superficial infections or corneal ulcers that can be serious.
This complication justifies that this procedure must be performed by a trained team, in reference centers and into a sterilized environment (surgery room).

The treatment with an antibiotic, antivirus or antimycotic agent is actually enough to stop the development of the infection.
The time to start the treatment is a very important element.

If the infection resists, a stronger treatment with antibiotics by perfusion or general way and a local treatment with various instillations is started.

The incidence of an infection is less than 1 per 5000.

There are 2 other kinds of complications :

• due to the procedure itself, because of the cut out or the laser, the procedure demands high technical skills and surgical experience
• due to the operating environment, healing difficulties, or inflammation

These complications are rare : if they appear, the result cannot be as predictable as usual and a reduction of the visual acuity may appear.

To conclude this chapter, one must remind that there is no surgery without risks, but this is a low risk.