There is a wealth of information about LASIK vision correction on the internet. You are lucky that you can access all this knowledge and wisdom for free.
But it can be challenging to sort out what is true and what is not. So telling facts from fiction is vital if you’re using the internet to learn about LASIK.
LASIK is a medical procedure designed to correct your vision by reshaping your cornea. By reshaping your cornea, it can fix nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Since LASIK treats something as sensitive as your eyes, you have to be careful what you believe. The only way to know for sure if LASIK is for you is to have a LASIK consultation and speak with an eye doctor.
Before you schedule a consultation at Ellis Eye, grasp more of the facts about LASIK. Keep reading to learn about the most common LASIK myths and find out what the truth is.
1. Myth: LASIK is Dangerous
Fact: LASIK is one of the safest medical procedures on the planet.
Most LASIK patients achieve perfect or near-perfect eyesight after their procedure.
Since it is a medical procedure, LASIK does carry some risks. All medical procedures do.
But, most complications are preventable or fixable and won’t result in any long-term problems. Most LASIK complications are due to patient errors after the procedure.
They usually happen because the patient does something to damage their eye. That means that you can play a role in ensuring the outcome of your LASIK procedure.
You can increase your chances of a successful LASIK experience by following your eye doctor’s instructions. They will give you a detailed plan of do’s and don’ts to ensure a positive outcome.
It should be easy to follow these instructions. If you do, LASIK is not only safe but very effective at correcting your vision.
2. Myth: LASIK is Temporary
Fact: LASIK is a permanent vision correction procedure.
It works by removing tiny bits of tissue from your cornea to reshape it.
By reshaping your cornea, light that passes through it gets focused onto your retina. This enhanced focusing accuracy results in clear, crisp vision.
LASIK can’t guarantee that your vision won’t suffer from some other vision problems down the road. But most patients enjoy the positive effects of LASIK for the rest of their lives!
3. Myth: LASIK is Painful
Fact: You don’t feel any pain during your LASIK procedure. You should feel very little of anything, except a slight pressure on your eyes.
That’s because the first step of the procedure is to numb your eyes. Your surgeon uses powerful anesthetic eye drops to block the pain receptors in your eyes.
You may experience some pressure during LASIK as the surgeon pulls on tissue. But this is more of a foreign sensation than painful, and it only lasts a few seconds.
After the numbing drops wear off, you may notice some mild discomfort. But your cornea should heal very quickly.
4. Myth: LASIK is an Experimental Surgery
Fact: LASIK is relatively new compared to other medical procedures. But that does not mean it is experimental.
LASIK has thorough documentation, and millions of procedures get performed each year. Moreover, the equipment used in LASIK is continually developing and improving.
And the surgeons who perform LASIK procedures are highly trained and experienced. All these variables create a medical procedure that is safe and reliable to give you visual freedom.
5. Myth: LASIK is Only for Young People
Fact: Older people sometimes believe they’ve missed the boat on LASIK. But the procedure can be safe even for middle-aged people!
Being old enough for LASIK is a more critical factor than being too old when it comes to age.
You need fully developed eyes to undergo LASIK. That means they can no longer be growing and changing.
For this reason, LASIK is only FDA-approved for people older than 18. And that’s why most doctors won’t perform LASIK on your eyes until you are in your mid to late-twenties.
If your eyes change after you get LASIK, it can ruin the results of your procedure. So it’s better to wait until you are sure your eyes are done developing before you risk undoing the results of a successful procedure.
Although being old enough for LASIK is more important than being too old, there is a cut-off as you age. Once you are in your forties and fifties, it is probably not a good idea to undergo LASIK.
Only your eye doctor can tell you for sure if you are healthy enough for LASIK. So before you make up your mind about not getting it, speak with them.
If, for some reason, you cannot have LASIK, there are LASIK alternatives. These procedures can produce similar results to LASIK, and they could be better for you!
6. Myth: LASIK Only Works On Nearsighted People
Fact: LASIK covers the whole range of refractive errors, including myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
But, extreme errors may disqualify you from being a good LASIK candidate.
If you have too much error that needs correcting, you may have too much corneal tissue to remove. LASIK alternatives could be better for you in this situation as well.
Your eye doctor can discuss these with you if your corneas are not able to handle LASIK. Rest assured, there are procedures to correct nearly any refractive error you have.
7. Myth: LASIK Recovery is Agonizing
Fact: Recovering from LASIK should be straightforward.
You may experience some dry eye for a while after the procedure, but this clears up quickly for most people.
During the first few weeks of recovery, your eyes will be susceptible to damage. Exercising, swimming, and being overly active can cause complications during this time.
It is best to avoid being too active for the first month or so after your procedure. This is because it takes most people a few months to recover from LASIK. But you should be able to get back to most of your everyday routine within weeks.
As always, carefully follow the instructions of your eye doctor. Doing exactly as they say increases your chances of a successful, pain-free recovery.
Want to learn more about LASIK? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Ellis Eye and Laser Medical Center in San Jose, CA, today. Then, come find out if LASIK is right for you!
