Posted by: Clear Advantage in Featured, LASIK on February 7, 2023
Do you wear contacts and suffer from dry eye symptoms? For some people, wearing contact lenses can lead to dryness.
Having dry eyes can cause frustrating symptoms like irritation and redness. If this applies to you, you’ll be glad to know that there is a way to reduce dry eye symptoms and permanently correct your vision simultaneously: with LASIK.
The benefits of LASIK are near endless, from convenience to improved self-confidence. One advantage you may not be aware of is that LASIK can provide relief to those that wear contact lenses and experience dryness because of them. Keep reading to find out how LASIK can improve your dry eyes!
How Does LASIK Work?
LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis) is a popular form of laser eye surgery. It permanently corrects refractive errors, which cause blurry vision.
LASIK can treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. During LASIK, an excimer laser and a femtosecond laser reshape the cornea, the transparent part of the front of the eye.
When the cornea is misshapen, light cannot bend as it should when it enters the eye. After reshaping the cornea, light can focus on the retina at the back of the eye. Allowing the retina to focus at the back of the eye allows for the production of clear images.
LASIK typically takes around ten minutes per eye to complete. You may feel slight pressure, but it is painless thanks to the numbing eye drops you’ll receive before the procedure begins.
LASIK has one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of any elective procedure. 99% of our patients achieve 20/20 or better vision.
You can temporarily treat a refractive error by wearing glasses or contacts. However, these visual aids only allow you to see clearly for as long as you wear them.
Alternatively, you can find a permanent solution by undergoing LASIK. LASIK can be the difference between seeing the world through glasses or contacts for the rest of your life and being able to see it clearly on your own.
Improve Your Dry Eye Symptoms with LASIK
With so much to be excited about when it comes to LASIK, you may not have heard that it can provide relief for people that wear contact lenses and suffer from dry eye.
You are not alone if you wear contacts and experience dryness because of them. Dry eye syndrome is a prevalent condition. When you wear contacts, your symptoms can be even worse.
By the end of the day, many contact lens wearers start to feel like their eyes are dry and irritated. Contacts can lead to dryness for a few reasons.
First, they sit on your eyes for an extended time, disrupting the flow of oxygen to the eye. It is harder for your eyes to maintain a healthy level of tears without this steady oxygen flow.
Secondly, contact lenses can also absorb tears. Tears being absorbed by your contacts can further reduce the moisture in your eyes.
LASIK may be the solution you’ve been looking for if your contacts keep drying your eyes out. Instead of trying to soothe irritation with drops or making the switch to glasses, LASIK provides a better option.
Most patients no longer rely on glasses or contact lenses to see after having LASIK. This means you will no longer have to deal with dryness caused by contacts.
You may experience some mild dryness in the days following your LASK procedure. Dry eye is one of the most common side effects of LASIK patients.
However, this usually goes away as your eyes continue healing and is temporary. It’s also important to look at the big picture.
A brief period of mild dry symptoms now can save you from years of dryness in the future. It’s a small price to pay for increased comfort!
Improved Allergy Symptoms
Do you wear contact lenses and have allergies? Just as contacts can worsen dry eye symptoms, they can also worsen allergy symptoms.
Contacts require frequent touching of your eyes, whether you’re inserting them in the morning or taking them out at the end of the day. Combine this with pollen getting everywhere during allergy season, and you have a recipe for even more irritation.
LASIK can make a big difference in the lives of those who wear contacts and have allergies. After you get LASIK, you will no longer need to touch your eyes as much.
Reducing how much you need to touch your eyes will eliminate the pollen contact lens cycle entirely while improving your allergy symptoms. Come next allergy season, and you’ll be in far better shape!
Who Is a Good Candidate for LASIK?
LASIK can help those who suffer from dry eyes, but not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. LASIK may not suit you if you have more severe dry eye syndrome.
It’s essential to have the condition under control and managed before having LASIK to avoid complications. Before you can have LASIK, you’ll have to schedule a LASIK consultation at Clear Advantage Vision Correction Center in Portsmouth, NH, to determine if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
Patients should be 18 years or older and have a refractive error within treatable limits. Your prescription should not have changed significantly in the last year or two, as this could make the procedure ineffective.
You may not qualify for LASIK if your corneas are too thin, you have certain eye conditions like glaucoma, or a health condition like diabetes that can affect your body’s ability to heal.
During your LASIK consultation, your eye doctor will help you determine whether LASIK is a good fit for you. If you don’t qualify, they may recommend an alternative procedure like PRK or the EVO Visian ICL.
Are you tired of dealing with dry eye symptoms because of your contacts? It’s time to feel better and see more clearly than ever with LASIK.
Schedule your LASIK consultation at Clear Advantage Vision Correction in Portsmouth, NH, today! Why wait any longer to experience the benefits of LASIK?
