There is a lot of misunderstanding and misplaced fear surrounding LASIK. As a board-certified LASIK surgeon and cornea specialist, I can say that my LASIK patients are some of my HAPPIEST patients. If I could have a clinic FULL of just LASIK patients, Iโd be a happy camper (albeit a bit bored) So today, letโs bust some LASIK myths:
1๏ธโฃ Itโs painful- LASIK is actually painless. We put numbing eye drops and give you a pill to relax. The only discomfort you might feel is a mild pressure for ~15 seconds. You may feel a slight sandy sensation for the first day or so. Most people are 20/20 and able to return to school or work the next day.
2๏ธโฃ Itโs risky (ร la Final Destination)- Did you know LASIK is one of the most studied elective procedures to date? There are over 7000 peer-reviewed articles demonstrating safety and efficacy. The satisfaction rate is over 96% with less than 1% complications. There are many safety mechanisms built in: An eyelid opener is used to keep the eyelids apart so you donโt have to worry about blinking. The newest lasers have a pupil tracker with a 6-8 millisecond response time so the moment your eye drifts, the laser automatically stops! My practice uses bladeless all-laser LASIK so the risks are further minimized.
3๏ธโฃ It canโt fix astigmatism- If your astigmatism is correctable with glasses, then itโs fixable with LASIK! It can also treat any nearsightedness or farsightedness at the same time.
4๏ธโฃ It wears off over time- The majority of patients (>95%) have great results that last for many years. If yours wears off, itโs possible that your prescription was not yet stable at the time of surgery because your eyes were still changing. There is also a greater chance of regression for eyes with higher prescriptions (>6 D) because the healing process is less predictable. The good news is a small touch-up can almost always be done if needed. And remember, LASIK doesnโt prevent other age-related problems like cataracts or presbyopia (loss of near vision).
Stay tuned for Part 2. Have you ever considered LASIK? Iโm happy to answer any questions! See the full post belowย
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