5 Little-Known Facts About Lasik Eye Surgery

Lasik eye surgery has been helping people see for over two decades, but there are still many misconceptions about the procedure. Here are five little-known facts to help you better understand Lasik.

You are not too old for Lasik eye surgery.

Many people wonder if they can have Lasik eye surgery if they are 40 or even 50. The truth is that they can. You are never too old for Lasik. If your eyes are healthy, you can have the surgery and eliminate your need for glasses or contacts.

Lasik eye surgery results may take time.

You may not have youthful vision immediately after your Lasik surgery. In fact, it may take up to a month or two for you to see the full results of your surgery. This is because your eyes need time to heal and adjust to the new changes. As a result, you may still need to wear glasses or contacts after Lasik temporarily.

Lasik eye surgery is permanent.

Once you have had Lasik eye surgery, you will not need to have it again. The results are permanent, and you will not need to worry about your vision changing in the future, meaning you can enjoy clear vision for the rest of your life.

You can fix nearsightedness or farsightedness - not both.

Nearsightedness (myopia) is when a patient can see close objects clearly, but distant objects are blurry, and farsightedness (hyperopia) is when a patient can see distant objects clearly, but close objects are blurry.

Lasik eye surgery can fix either one condition or the other. The procedures are different, and you can't have both methods done on the same eye. Most patients choose to fix their myopia and wear reading glasses when needed.

Alternatively, you can choose monovision. Monovision is often used with contacts and involves wearing one contact for near-sightedness and one for far-sightedness. The idea is that your eyes will work in tandem to create 20/20 vision.

However, before Lasik eye surgery, it is important to test how you react to monovision with contacts. Some patients do well with monovision contacts and can achieve similar results with monovision Lasik eye surgery. However, some patients find monovision distracting and do not like the results.

You will still need reading glasses as you age.

Even if you have Lasik eye surgery, you will eventually need reading glasses. Presbyopia is when your eyes lose the ability to focus on close objects. Different from hyperopia, presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process. The Cleveland Clinic reports that it happens by the time adults reach the age of 40 and "gets progressively worse until around your late 60s, when it usually levels off." When the time comes, most people just purchase over-the-counter reading glasses to help them with their vision.

Lasik eye surgery is a safe and effective procedure that can help you achieve clear vision without needing glasses or contacts. If you have any questions about Lasik eye surgery, talk to your doctor.  


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