LASIK, or laser in-situ keratomileusis, is the most common laser eye procedure to correct refractive vision problems. Over 600,000 Americans each year choose LASIK to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. In an ideal world, everyone would see clearly without the need for glasses or contacts. But according to the Vision Council of America, more than 75% of American adults wear glasses or contacts to correct their vision. And it gets worse with age. More than 90% of Americans over 55 years old can’t see without the help of their prescription eyewear. With today’s advanced laser technology, and since its FDA approval in 1996, LASIK surgery has helped millions of people see clearly with less dependency on glasses and contacts. Here at Whitson Vision, LASIK surgery is one of the most popular ways our board-certified ophthalmologists help adults see again. Read on to learn why LASIK is still the best way to correct common vision problems.
LASIK reshapes your eye’s cornea
Even if you’ve been dependent on glasses most of your life, you may still benefit from LASIK vision correction. This relatively simple computer-controlled laser surgery reshapes your cornea to correct most common vision problems, including:
· Myopia, or nearsightedness
· Hyperopia, or farsightedness
· Presbyopia, or age-related difficulty focusing close-up
· Astigmatism
Imagine what it would be like to read a dinner menu without issue, even when you forget your reading glasses at home. Or consider how you would feel waking up each morning and being able to see the time on your phone even before you reach for your glasses.
What about being able to watch TV or read road signs in the distance without glasses? When was the last time you could jump into a pool without worry that you might lose a contact lens?
During LASIK surgery, your surgeon makes an incision across the eye’s cornea, raises a flap of tissue, and reshapes the cornea to correct vision. You may have misgivings about allowing a surgeon to cut your eye. Still, studies show that complications occur in fewer than 1 in 20 procedures, and even these are generally minor problems that don’t cause vision loss.
LASIK is a good option for improving vision for many reasons:
· Patients usually do not experience pain with LASIK.
· Vision is improved immediately after surgery. An estimated 95 percent of patients who undergo LASIK improve their vision to 20/40 or better, while 85 percent return to 20/20 vision.
· In most cases, no bandages or stitches are required, and patients can resume their regular schedule within 24 hours.
· LASIK can take a few weeks to adjust your vision, and the results are permanent, although the eye prescription can still change over time. The only time a follow-up procedure may be necessary is if eyesight changes slightly with age or the initial correction are not enough. Further adjustments can be made several years after LASIK surgery to correct vision if the vision has shifted.
· Patients usually experience a dramatic reduction in the need for glasses after LASIK surgery, and some patients do not need to wear glasses at all.
· Even though LASIK requires a financial investment upfront, patients experience hundreds of dollars of savings each year because they do not need to update their eyeglasses and contact lens prescription.
A painless procedure with a quick recovery
Today’s advanced laser technologies and numbing eye drops allow for a completely painless procedure that’s over in a matter of minutes. Most patients return to their usual activities within 24 hours. In some cases, it may take a few weeks for your eyes to achieve optimal vision fully.
If your vision changes as you get older, Dr. Whitson and the board-certified team of ophthalmologists can make adjustments with another LASIK procedure several years after your initial surgery, if necessary.
A dramatic difference in dependency on glasses
After LASIK, you may not even need your glasses to see clearly at any distance. While some people still need them occasionally, most of our patients enjoy a dramatic reduction in dependency on glasses.
Save money on prescription eyewear and contact solutions.
Think of all the money you’ve spent over the years on glasses, contacts, contact solutions, and other types of prescription eyewear. If you’ve worn glasses for most of your life, all those expenses add up, even when insurance covers a portion of the costs. In the long run, LASIK can save you time and money.
Maybe you’ve spent even more money on prescription sunglasses, goggles, or safety glasses for sports like lacrosse or hockey. Not only are these particular eyewear necessities an added expense, but you also have to remember to bring them with you when you travel or head to the golf course, pool, or ski slopes.
LASIK is a one-time expense instead of an ongoing one. You don’t have to replenish solutions, update your frames, or replace the lenses in your glasses because you broke them or your prescription changed.
Limitless lifestyle advantages
Do you dance? Play golf? Ski? Swim? Every time you engage in activity wearing your glasses or contacts, you have to worry about losing them or breaking them. Maybe your glasses make you feel less confident in specific social settings. Or perhaps you don’t want to worry about choosing between eye comfort and being able to see clearly when you’re spending a long weekend at the beach.
LASIK can change all that for the better, so you can engage in your favorite activities without worry. You can be more spontaneous and carefree when you don’t have to worry about losing your glasses in the ocean or having your contacts dry out after a long day of sightseeing.
