Retinitis
Pigmentosa and
Lasik, Bladeless Lasik, PRK, etc.
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) would not itself eliminate
the possibility of refractive surgery, however there are some concerns that indicate
current refractive surgery techniques and technology may not be
suitable for a person with RP.
As there are many types
of RP the symptoms can vary, but in the most common type an early
symptom is difficulty seeing at night or in areas of poor illumination.
The disease is progressive and the field of vision may gradually
decrease, resulting in the condition often referred to as tunnel vision. In another type of RP, the side vision is retained
for some time, but there is central loss leading to an inability
to read or carry out close work.
Refractive surgery like Lasik, Bladeless Lasik, PRK, LASEK, Epi-Lasik, PRK, etc. can only
change the refractive state of the eye. That is, it can only change
the focal point of light entering the eye. Refractive surgery cannot
directly resolve the RP, but may indirectly cause vision problems.
The lens-based procedures RLE and P-IOL are significantly more invasive than other forms of refractive
surgery and require special attention to patients who have a history
of retinal problems.
The process of refractive
surgery can on rare occasion cause undesirable results and one of
those results is a loss of contrast sensitivity. When coupled with the potential of poor
vision in low illumination environments due to RP, the potential
risk of very poor vision after refractive surgery is significantly
higher for a person with RP than a person without retinal disease.
Before having refractive surgery it would be wise to be evaluated
by a retina specialist.
If you are ready
to choose a doctor to be evaluated for Lasik or any refractive
surgery procedure, we highly recommend you consider a doctor who
has been evaluated and certified by the USAEyes nonprofit
organization. Locate a USAEyes Evaluated & Certified Lasik Laser Eye Surgery
Doctor.
