Posted by: Clear Advantage in Featured, LASIK on June 24, 2022
What have you heard about LASIK? Because the procedure is so popular, you may have already heard many misconceptions.
When considering a life-changing vision correction procedure like LASIK, the best thing you can do for yourself is to understand what’s true and what’s not about it. Understanding LASIK and how it works is key in making such an important decision.
Keep reading for 4 LASIK myths and urban legends to forget!
1. LASIK Can Make You Go Blind
It is essential to know how safe any procedure is before undergoing it, including LASIK. Looking into LASIK’s safety is certainly not a bad thing!
However, you can rest assured that LASIK is one of the safest elective procedures available today. There are almost a million LASIK procedures performed on satisfied LASIK patients every year.
That’s why it’s such an incredibly low-risk option for vision correction. If you’re worried about losing your sight because of LASIK, you won’t.
The Refractive Surgery Council confirms there has never been a single case of blindness where the primary cause was LASIK. We understand your concern regarding having a procedure performed on your eyes.
Your safety is our priority, from the time of your consultation to your follow-up appointments after your procedure. The latest laser-assisted technology allows us to perform LASIK using the most precision possible.
This high degree of accuracy significantly reduces the chances of potential complications. For patients, that means getting back to the things you love faster and with better vision than you ever thought possible.
2. LASIK Is Only Temporary
LASIK is a permanent form of vision correction because it reshapes the cornea, which causes refractive errors. When you have a refractive error, your cornea is an irregular shape, meaning your eye can’t bend light correctly.
The cornea’s irregular shape is what causes blurry vision. LASIK works by gently reshaping your cornea, giving you a lifelong visual solution. As a result, the effects of LASIK can’t wear off.
Your eyes can and will change throughout your life. Nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism can worsen with time.
For this reason, you need to have a stable prescription before undergoing LASIK. When your vision has stabilized, it ensures your clear vision lasts for as long as possible.
If any changes to your vision do occur, this does not necessarily mean you will have to go back to wearing glasses or contacts. However, it is essential to note LASIK can only treat current eye conditions. Even if you get LASIK, it won’t change if you develop cataracts or presbyopia later.
3. Your Vision Won’t Be That Different
LASIK is more than vision correction: it’s a transformation. Within a few days, you will notice that your vision is sharper than ever.
You may think you can see clearly with visual aids like glasses and contact lenses, but it’s nothing compared to how you’ll see after LASIK. Most patients end up with 20/20 vision or better after the procedure.
It should be no surprise that LASIK has a patient satisfaction rate of 96%! You’ll see more clearly while picking up the tiniest details you may have never noticed before having LASIK.
Imagine achieving the ability to see in high-definition, and that’s just a taste of what having LASIK is like. When you can see clearly without the need for visual aids, it improves almost every aspect of your life.
Everything from exercising to cooking becomes easier. With such impactful results, LASIK is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.
4. It Takes a Long Time to Recover from LASIK
Though it would seem that having a permanent vision correction procedure like LASIK would have a long recovery time, it’s not true. On the contrary, most people can return to work the day after the procedure!
With such a brief recovery period, it’s a breeze to get back to what’s important to you in a short amount of time. Because LASIK is an outpatient procedure, you can return home immediately following its completion.
Your surgeon may place an eye shield over your eye to protect it for a few days while you’re sleeping. You may initially feel a scratchy sensation, but this usually subsides quickly.
It is recommended you take it easy for at least the first day. Many patients begin to notice a change in their vision within 24 hours.
In most cases, you can return to normal activities within one to three days. You will need to avoid strenuous activities, contact sports, and swimming in bodies of water for a month after LASIK. The best part is that you can return to your schedule with your new and improved vision sooner than you may have thought was possible!
Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK?
Once you understand the facts about LASIK, it’s hard not to want to experience it for yourself. The first step is to ensure you are a good candidate for this procedure, as it is not for everyone.
You must be at least 18 years old and should not be pregnant or currently nursing. Otherwise, changing hormone levels can affect your eyes.
As mentioned above, a stable prescription is critical to having a successful procedure. Good candidates for LASIK do not have corneas that are too thin.
During the procedure, your surgeon will create a small flap in your cornea to reshape it and correct refractive errors. They will then fold this down, allowing your eye to heal. To do this, you must have sufficiently thick corneas.
Some conditions have the potential to affect your candidacy for LASIK. For example, severe dry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetes may make a bad candidate for LASIK.
If you are interested in LASIK, we will schedule a consultation to evaluate your health and discuss your needs and goals in-depth. Together we can determine whether LASIK is a good fit for you.
Are you ready to see the life-changing results of LASIK for yourself? Schedule your LASIK consultation at Clear Advantage Vision Correction Center in Portsmouth, NH, to discuss if you are a good candidate!
