Does High Altitude impact Lasik Safety?

LASIK is having surgery in Colorado less safe than, for example, after LASIK in California?

Many eyes on complications may arise due to high altitude. For example, people who live in areas at high altitudes have a difficult time wear extended wear contact lenses. Although there are now contact lenses that can leave at night, at high altitude can cause problems that do not occur periodically height above sea level.

This and many other issues related to the height above sea level are largely caused by swelling of the cornea. Swelling this is known as corneal oedema. As there are more cases of corneal edema in areas at high altitude, many people question whether undergoing LASIK surgery is safe in those places.

Of course, this is a valid concern as our eyes are our life and should address this search and discuss it with your LASIK surgeon. But, most experts agree that there are more risks at high elevation than have to adjust the altitude. This essentially means that you can have a safe and sound LASIK surgery in Colorado and other places at high altitude. In fact, according to some experts, after having LASIK done in areas at high altitudes may also be more useful for your eyes, as corrective lenses are the source of most eye problems and difficulties of high altitudes.

But because people hold the belief that LASIK is not safe in areas at high altitude? Good question. This conviction stems from the experience of Dr. Weathers. Dr. Weathers has suffered older style and vision correction surgery and he has encountered problems when he was climbing Mt. Everest. His vision reduced so much during the climb that he was forced to turn around and almost led to his death. But the facts come first: Dr. Weathers had suffered either PRK or LASIK. Instead, he had an old-style eye surgery called RK (Keractometry radial). RK also led to similar problems for other groped two mountaineers to climb Mt. Everest and Mt. McKinley. However, several studies have shown that these people would not have had problems encountered if they had undergone laser vision correction such as surgery PRK or LASIK.

Yes, yes, having LASIK in Colorado or any other area of high altitude is safe. However, it is always more secure to ask your surgeon LASIK on this problem and we recommend that you ask your ophthalmologist (or surgeon).