Laser surgery

Encyclopedia of Medicine, Apr 06, 2001 by Maureen Haggerty

Lighter or darker skin may appear, for example, when a laser is used to remove sun damage or age spots from an olive-skinned or dark-skinned individual. This abnormal pigmentation may or may not disappear in time.

Scarring or rupturing of the cornea is uncommon, but laser surgery on one or both eyes can:

• Increase sensitivity to light or glare
• Reduce night vision
• Permanently cloud vision, or cause sharpness of vision to decline throughout the day.

Signs of infection following laser surgery include:

• Burning
• Crusting of the skin
• Itching
• Pain
• Scarring
• Severe redness
• Swelling.

• 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).