WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former US Food and Drug Administration official has warned of LASIK operations that many people undergo to correct their eyesight, calling for a cessation of these surgeries once and for all in the 1990s.
Morris Wexler, a retired FDA adviser, said: “We have essentially ignored data on vision distortions that have lasted for years. I checked the documents and said this was not good. ”
Although a FDA survey found that more than 95 percent of the patients who underwent the surgery were satisfied with the results of the operation approved by federal officials in 1998, others suffered serious complications, Sky News reported.
Wexler estimated between 10 and 30 percent of those who had complications after LASIK, according to CBS.
Wexler stressed that "the procedure should be completely banned," saying: "There is nothing wrong in the eyes of the person who goes to get LASIK, they have healthy eyes, and they can buy glasses."
LASIK surgery uses a special type of laser to reshape the cornea to improve “eye concentration strength,” according to the FDA.
The Federal Health Agency, on its website, refers to the health risks and complications that may be exposed to those who undergo surgery, including loss of vision, vision glare or halos, double vision, in addition to severe dry eye syndrome.