Laser eye surgery, known as Lasik, has helped millions of people see clearly, without wearing contacts or glasses. But now US health regulators are investigating whether the surgery is actually living up to its claims. Lasik uses lasers to carve the clear part of the eye so that you can see better. It costs anywhere from $500 to $2,500 per eye, and many vision insurance plans don't cover it because it's considered cosmetic. A decade after its debut, the Food and Drug Administration wants a second look. The FDA is taking a closer look at Lasik, specifically whether the vision correcting procedure improves patients' lives. For some patients, it does. "They get off the table and say, 'Wow,' especially people who cannot see the clock in the morning across the room," Dr. Laura Pallan, an ophtalmologist with Eger Eye group, said.

Reeboks Lead Poisoning Case

Lead poisoning and products made in china proved to be a deadly combination for a 4 year old Minnesota boy. Reebok,the popular athletic shoe maker will pay a record-breaking million dollar fine. The boy swallowed a charm bracelet, one that was given as a free gift with purchase for children's footwear. He became sick, eventually slipped into a coma and died. Autopsies revealed the charm he swallowed was 99% lead and the levels in his blood were triple what's considered safe. The consumer product safety commission later recalled 300 thousand of the bracelets and fined Reebok a million dollars. It's the largest civil penalty ever. U.S. Health regulators will review lasik eye surgery after a number of concerns surface concerning patient satisfaction with the popular vision-correction procedure.

Chronic dry eye syndrome after LASIK

Scientists at Schepens Eye Research Institute have found that people with a certain low level of tear production are more likely to develop chronic dry eye syndrome after LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis), laser refractive surgery to correct near- and far-sightedness than those with more plentiful tears.

Their research, published in the January issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, may offer reliable prescreening criteria for ophthalmologists and patients.

"These findings should help ophthalmologists determine if pretreatment is necessary before surgery or if surgery is appropriate at all for an individual," says Dr. Darlene Dartt, director of the Military Vision Research Program at Schepens Eye Research Institute and the principal investigator of the study.