Pros and Cons of Laser Surgery for Myopia
Jun 29, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Chen You
Introduction
There is no effective treatment for myopia. Although pharmacological treatments may be effective, they can damage the eyes. Vision training therapy is suitable only for patients with pseudo-myopia; individuals with true myopia can improve their vision only through refractive surgery. In fact, myopia surgery itself carries numerous concerns. As widely known, most myopia surgeries are corneal refractive procedures—essentially “wearing glasses” on the cornea.
Myopia is a common condition in daily life. In modern society, nearly half of the population suffers from myopia. Myopia impairs visual acuity, and prompt treatment is essential upon diagnosis to prevent disease progression and minimize harm to the patient’s health. So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of laser surgery for myopia?
Advantages and Disadvantages of Laser Surgery for Myopia
There is currently no ideal medical treatment for myopia. While pharmacological therapies may offer some benefit, they carry risks of ocular damage. Vision training is effective only for patients with pseudomyopia; individuals with true (axial) myopia can improve their vision only through surgical intervention. In reality, however, refractive surgery itself presents several limitations. As widely known, most myopia surgeries are corneal refractive procedures. These surgeries effectively “implant” corrective lenses onto the cornea—specifically, by reshaping the cornea into a concave lens configuration via surgical means. This is the fundamental principle underlying myopia surgery; thus, while such procedures enable patients to discontinue wearing spectacles or contact lenses, they do not halt or prevent the progression of myopia.
Excimer laser surgery should be performed only after age 18, following careful assessment of myopia stability. Candidates must be in overall good health and free of contraindications for excimer laser procedures. Nature has endowed humans with highly sophisticated, naturally optimized eyes; altering the cornea’s local refractive properties inevitably introduces new challenges. Given the substantial anatomical variability among individuals’ corneas, refractive surgical instruments continue to evolve. As clinical experience accumulates, new issues are identified and addressed through iterative technological improvements. Nevertheless, certain inherent limitations remain unresolved—for instance, postoperative glare. Moreover, refractive surgery addresses only the optical defect of myopia; it cannot restore or enhance binocular coordination, which requires both eyes to function synergistically—a complex neural integration process that refractive surgery alone cannot resolve.
In daily life, practice proper eye hygiene: after one hour of sustained near work, rest your eyes for ten minutes. We hope this information proves helpful to you.
