Planning LASIK surgery? You’re unlikely to be one of the less than 1% of patients who experience severe side effects-dry eye, pain or worsened vision-and even less likely to get a post-op infection. However, infection is possible, and doctors have seen an increase in recent years.
A Korean study recently found that 85% of patients have preexisting coagulase-negative staphylococci bacteria on the surface of the eye, and over 30% is resistant to antibiotics-a huge increase over the past decade.
“Since resistant CNS is now widespread, it makes sense to develop ophthalmic agents using the newest fluoroquinolones and to consider their use after refractive surgery to attempt to reduce infections,” said head researcher Dr. Kyoung Yul Seo.
Fluoroquinolones are antiobiotics that work by interfering with DNA replication, and they may be able to prevent treatment-resistant mutations. Experts say the latest generation of this kind of antibiotic is the most effective in treating and preventing post-LASIK infections.
Have you had LASIK? Did you have any side effects? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
