FDA clinical trial involving 267 LASIK patients initially taken from June 1995 to February 1999 indicate a major reduction in side effects experienced by LASIK patients.

Many people who would love to have LASIK surgery to avoid wearing glasses or contacts won't because they are afraid of side effects. But now, thanks to advances in technology, these fears can be dramatically reduced.

A major reduction in side effects experienced by LASIK patients is a major finding in a survey conducted by members of the faculty at Emory University Medical School.

What this latest survey shows is that there really is no need to be overly concerned about side effects of the LASIK procedure, says Paul H. Ernest, M.D., founder of the TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers of Michigan.

The latest survey is part of an ongoing physician-sponsored FDA clinical trial involving 267 LASIK patients initially taken from June 1995 to February 1999.

"We are pleased to see such a positive response from patients, who participated in the original LASIK trial, now five year later," says Keith P. Thompson, M.D., Emory University Medical School faculty member who also was co-founder of Emory Vision, now InView. "These survey results are important as they demonstrate lasting results for the surgery."

The InView survey asked LASIK patients to compare their vision prior to surgery with glasses or contacts directly following surgery:

* 73 percent reported seeing the same or less glare
* 52 percent reported the same or less halo
* 79 percent reported the same or less ghost images

In late 2003, a follow-up survey showed:

* 63 percent reported no glare
* Of those reporting glare, it generally occurred immediately following surgery and diminished over time
* 62 percent showed no halos
* Those with halos reported mild to moderate halos directly after surgery
* 89 percent experienced no ghost images
* 90 percent reported being free from full-time use of glasses or contacts
* 91 percent said LASIK improved their quality of life and they would recommend the procedure to others.

"In the past, there were significant concerns about side effects such as night vision problems, halos and glare," says Dr. Ernest. "However, due to wavefront-guided technology at TLC Eyecare and Laser Centers, the potential of experiencing these side effects have been significantly reduced."

Wavefront technology was introduced in Michigan by TLC and is called True Custom LASIK. The wavefront analyzer maps both lower and higher-order aberrations of the eye by projecting waves of light into a patient's eyes and mapping the waves that bounce back.

The resulting precise measurements produce a custom map of the eye, much like a human's unique fingerprints. A 3D map of the exact corneal reshaping needed is then transmitted to the laser surgery equipment.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 800-551-7347 or visit the TLC web site at www.tlcmi.com. TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers have offices in Lansing, Jackson, Battle Creek, Chelsea, Ann Arbor, Farmington Hills, and Kalamazoo, Michigan.