Laser Eye Surgery Compensation Claims
Claim compensation for laser eye surgery problems
Laser eye surgery has become extremely popular in the UK, with over 10,000 treatments performed every week. When the procedure is done well it can have excellent results but there are risks and complications can occur. If you have suffered as a result of complications with your laser eye surgery, you may be able to claim compensation.
Click here to fill in our online claims form and receive free advice about your claim >
About laser eye surgery
Types of procedures
The first procedure to show the possibility of achieving a positive result was called Radial Keratotomy (RK) in which a diamond blade is used to make micro-incision in the cornea to treat mild levels of nearsightedness and astigmatism.
The first in the line of laser procedures for vision correction was Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK). This procedure uses an excimer laser to treat mild to moderate levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Rather than make cuts, the laser is sued to sculpt an area on the surface of the eye.
Then came LASIK treatment. LASIK stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. This patient is performed on an outpatient appointment under local anesthetic corrects moderate to high levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK is a relatively fast procedure surgical procedure in which an automated microkeratome is used to create a corneal flap and the laser is then used to ablate the cornea.
Precautions, Complications and Risks
The safety and effectiveness of laser eye surgery has not been fully determined and the risk of complication may be higher in some patients with pre-existing risk factors. Doctors should screen their patients for indicators of risk such as diseases and if a patient suffers from blepharitis (inflammation of the eye), large pupils, thin corneas or dry eyes.
Complications following treatment can range from relatively minor problems such as pain and sensitivity, to catastrophic complications such as corneal scarring or ectasia and even blindness.
According to the medical journal, Ophthalmology, the average failure rate is approximately 10%. Problems may arise for any one or more of a number of reasons. For instance, surgical error can account for a number of serious problems, as can a failure by the doctor to carry out the appropriate screening to identify existing risk factors.
Consent
It is also important that the doctor informs the patient of the risks involved in the treatment before it is carried out. Although it is not necessary for a doctor to warn a patient of every risk they have a duty to inform patients of likely risks or those risks for which the outcome could be very serious (ie blindness).
Our experience as laser eye surgery solicitors
Irwin Mitchell solicitors have seen an increase in compensation cases involving complications following laser eye surgery and have extensive experience of dealing with the complicated medical issues which arise in these type of cases.
Details of £90,000 payout in laser eye surgery compensation >
Details of £150,000 compensation for faulty laser eye correction surgery >
Make a compensation claim as soon as you can
If you or someone you know has undergone laser eye surgery and suffered problems, fill in our online claims form for free legal advice from one of our expert solicitors.