Complications generally were more common in the early years of LASIK, when studies in the late 1990s indicated that up to 5 percent of people undergoing laser vision correction experienced some type of problem. These days, this number is under 1 percent for serious complications.
A worldwide review of LASIK published in 2009 showed that more than 95 percent of people who had LASIK surgery between 1995 and 2003 were satisfied with their outcome.
Public confidence in LASIK has grown in recent years due to the solid success rate of LASIK surgery outcomes. The U.S. military also has adopted widespread use of laser eye surgery to decrease reliance of troops on corrective eyewear. As of 2008, more than 224,000 military personnel had undergone laser vision correction. Since the procedure first was introduced in the military in 2000, researchers have conducted more than 45 studies regarding safety and effectiveness of LASIK and other procedures.
LASIK outcomes have been overwhelmingly positive. Most military patients see 20/20 or better after the procedure without corrective eyewear, and the rate of complications has been very low. According to one study, only one in 112,500 patients required medical disability retirement due to complications from laser vision correction during this eight-year period.
In another study, 100 percent of pilots and other aircraft personnel from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps who underwent custom (wavefront-guided) LASIK attained 20/20 uncorrected visual acuity within two weeks after surgery.
When questioned about their satisfaction one month after surgery, 95 percent of these patients said the procedure was helpful to their effectiveness, and 100 percent said they would recommend it to other aviators. Study results were presented at the 2008 ASCRS annual meeting.
