How Long Does LASIK Last?
Are you considering LASIK to improve your eyesight and reduce your dependence on glasses and contacts? If so, you may be wondering about the longevity of the procedure and whether it can permanently give you clear vision.
Keep reading to learn more about how long LASIK lasts, and whether it could help you achieve the vision of your dreams!
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a procedure that can give patients freedom from visual aids by correcting refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. These common vision problems can occur due to your eye being too long or too short, or having a misshapen cornea.
This prevents light from reaching the retina at the right spot for clear vision. LASIK corrects refractive errors by reshaping the cornea with specialized lasers to allow light to hit your retina at the optimal angle, resulting in sharper images.
What Happens During LASIK?
Before your LASIK surgeon begins the procedure, they will numb your eyes with anesthetic eye drops. They may also offer you a sedative or anti-anxiety medication if you are feeling nervous.
Once your eyes are ready, they will make a small flap in your cornea with a femtosecond laser. Your LASIK surgeon will fold back the flap and reshape the tissue underneath with an excimer laser.
To complete the procedure, they will fold the flap back over your eye, allowing it to work as a natural bandage while you heal. After the procedure, you will need someone to drive you home to begin recovery.
Your LASIK surgeon will provide you with a protective eye shield, eye drops to prevent infection and reduce inflammation, and detailed instructions on post-operative care. You will also be required to attend follow-up appointments so they can monitor how you are healing and clear you to return to activities like driving and working.
Most patients are able to resume their daily routine after just one day of recovery and begin noticing visual improvements at this time. However, it will take several weeks or months to achieve peak visual clarity after LASIK.
Is LASIK Permanent?
LASIK permanently corrects refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism by reshaping the cornea. The cornea will not revert back to its original shape and cannot be reshaped without another procedure.
Most LASIK patients enjoy clear, high-definition vision for decades. However, age-related vision changes from conditions like cataracts, presbyopia, and glaucoma may still occur.
Because these conditions affect different parts of the eye, LASIK cannot prevent them from impacting your vision. It’s important to have realistic expectations about what LASIK can do for your eyesight in the long term before you undergo the procedure.
How Do I Know if LASIK is Right for Me?
To discover whether you are a good candidate for LASIK, you must attend a LASIK consultation with your eye doctor at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction. You may be a good candidate if you:
- Are 18 or older
- Have had a stable prescription for 1 year or more
- Have thick enough corneas
- Do not have eye conditions like glaucoma or cataracts
- Are not pregnant or nursing
- Do not have diabetes or certain autoimmune conditions
- Do not have severe dry eye
- Want to reduce your dependence on visual aids
Your eye doctor will perform a thorough eye examination and ask questions about your medical history, lifestyle, and visual goals to determine whether LASIK could be right for you. If you are not a good candidate for LASIK due to thin corneas or a high prescription, they may recommend other vision correction procedures like the EVO ICL and PRK.
Are you ready to learn more about how LASIK can give you crystal-clear vision for decades? Schedule an appointment at Berg Feinfield Vision Correction in Burbank, CA, today!
