If you have to have a surgical procedure, your doctor may recommend laser surgery. A laser is a beam of light in which the rays are all of one wavelength and are coherent, meaning that they do not scatter.
Laser surgery is a relatively new technique that can offer some significant advantages over traditional surgery. Lasers can perform accurately at the microscopic level, and your doctor can configure them so that they only affect a particular type of tissue. Nevertheless, as Stat Pearls explains, there are risks associated with laser surgery.
1. Eye injury
A laser is a focused beam of light that can cut like a scalpel. If that same light beam shines in your eyes, it can cause injuries. A reflected laser can also get into your eyes and cause injury. Before your surgery, ask your doctor about eye protection during the procedure.
2. Burns
Lasers can generate heat during surgery. If the heat is excessive or the cooling is insufficient, tissue can overheat, resulting in a burn injury. Your doctor can avoid this type of complication by testing the laser on a small patch of your skin about two weeks prior to the scheduled procedure.
3. Dyspigmentation
Lasers sometimes treat conditions that cause hyperpigmentation, or dark areas on the skin. In these cases, a lightening of skin pigmentation is the desired result rather than an unwanted side effect. However, dyspigmentation can be a complication of other types of laser surgery procedures. You may be at particular risk if you have darker skin.
Laser surgery offers many potential benefits. However, there are also risks of complications you may face when a laser is in the hands of a negligent surgeon.