Laser Eye Surgery

Signs of infection following laser surgery include:
Burning
Crusting of the skin
Itching
Pain
Scarring
Severe redness
Swelling.
Key Terms
Argon
A colorless, odorless gas.
Astigmatism
A condition in which one or both eyes cannot filter light properly and images appear blurred and indistinct.
Canker sore
A blister-like sore on the inside of the mouth that can be painful but is not serious.
Carbon dioxide
A heavy, colorless gas that dissolves in water.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
An emergency procedure used to restore circulation and prevent brain death to a person who has collapsed, is unconscious, is not breathing, and has no pulse.
Cauterize
To use heat or chemicals to stop bleeding, prevent the spread of infection, or destroy tissue.
Cornea
The outer, transparent lens that covers the pupil of the eye and admits light.
Endometriosis
An often painful gynecologic condition in which endometrial tissue migrates from the inside of the uterus to other organs inside and beyond the abdominal cavity.
Glaucoma
A disease of the eye in which increased pressure within the eyeball can cause gradual loss of vision.
Invasive surgery
A form of surgery that involves making an incision in the patient's body and inserting instruments or other medical devices into it.
Nearsightedness
A condition in which one or both eyes cannot focus normally, causing objects at a distance to appear blurred and indistinct.

Also called myopia.
Ovarian cyst
A benign or malignant growth on an ovary. An ovarian cyst can disappear without treatment or become extremely painful and have to be surgically removed.
Vaporize
To dissolve solid material or convert it into smoke or gas.
Varicose veins
Swollen, twisted veins, usually occurring in the legs, that occur more often in women than in men.
Further Reading
For Your Information
Books
Carlson, Karen J., et al. The Harvard Guide to Women's Health. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1996.
Periodicals
"Laser Procedures for Nearsightedness." FDA Consumer (January-February 1996): 2.
"Laser Resurfacing Slows the Hands of Time." Harvard Health Letter (August 1996): 4-5.
"Lasers." Mayo Clinic Health Letter (July 1994): 1-3.
"Lasers: Bright Lights of the Medical World." Cosmopolitan (May 1995): 262-265.
"Lasers for Skin Surgery." Harvard Women's Health Watch (March 1997): 2-3.
"Lasers -- Hope or Hype?" American Health (June 1994): 68-72, 103.
"The Light Fantastic." Helix (Winter 1989): 3-9.
"New Cancer Therapies That Ease Pain, Extend Life." Cancer Smart (June 1997): 8-10.
"New Laser Surgery for Angina." HealthNews (May 6, 1997): 3-4.
"Saving Face." Essence (August 1997): 24, 26, 28.
"Under the Gun." Mirabella (January/February 1996): 108-110.
"What a Laser Can and Cannot Do." San Jose Mercury News (February 1994): 22, 24.
Organizations
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. 930 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173-6016. (847) 330-9830. http://www.asds-net.org.
American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Inc. 2404 Stewart Square, Wausau, WI 54401 (715) 845-9283 http://www.as/ms.org/index.html.
Cancer Information Service. (800) 422-6237.
National Cancer Institute. http://www.rex.nci.nih.gov.
Other
ASLMS Guidelines for Office-Based Laser Procedures. http://www.as/ms.org/offbased.html (19 March 1998).
Facts About Laser Surgery. http://www.glaucoma.org/fs-laser-sur.html (12 March 1998).
Refractive Eye Surgery. http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9707/htm/refract.htm (15 March 1998).
What is Laser? http://www.asds_.net.org/laser.html (19 March 1998).
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. Gale Research, 1999.