COMMON LASIK VISION MYTHS
When patients first come to our office, interested in whether or not LASIK surgery will work for them, there are frequently asked questions which usually come up during the consultation. Much of the time, their LASIK questions have to do with a combination of fact and fiction they have heard or read. Contrary to what patients may think, the more questions they ask the better! It is important to us that our patients feel as knowledgeable, confident, and relaxed as possible before their LASIK vision surgery procedures begin.
There are some common LASIK myths floating around out there and the more they are debunked, the more educated the population will be about this exciting vision restoring procedure.
Debunking 5 Common LASIK Myths
- It isn’t real surgery. LASIK surgery is indeed “real” surgery. Originally, it even involved the surgeon wielding a small sharp scalpel to create the flap incision, as well as manually reshaping the cornea. These days, most LASIK surgeries take place using lasers from start to finish. They make the flap incision in record time and are also responsible for reshaping the cornea to match a patient’s exact prescription using high-tech software. But lasers or not, it is still considered a surgery, requires an incision, and patients need to observe their post-operative care instructions to heal successfully.
- The long-term risks aren’t really understood. This is one of the most common concerns our patients bring to us on their list of LASIK questions. It is the idea that LASIK vision surgery is relatively new, and therefore its long term effects haven’t been able to be studied yet. In fact, while it became more popularized in the 90s, LASIK surgery has been around since the 80s. Since the 1990s, thousands and thousands of people have experienced improved vision as many as 25-years later.
- Improved LASIK vision isn’t permanent. While it is true that some patients experience what we call “regression” – where their vision becomes a little more blurry again – in most cases, residual post-operative blurriness will resolve within a few weeks. If not, it is almost always correctable with a follow-up procedure. On the other hand, as humans age, the lenses in the eyes begin to lose elasticity, causing them to harden. This condition is called presbyopia. It’s a normal part of aging and has nothing to do with LASIK surgery. Most LASIK patients will eventually experience presbyopia and will need to wear reading glasses on occasion, even though their corneal correction is still in top shape.
- Anyone can benefit from LASIK surgery. While we wish this were true, it’s not. LASIK surgery works for very specific conditions and can only help people whose vision problems are a result of abnormalities, or imperfections, of the cornea. While this is a large percentage of the population, there are those whose vision issues are unable to be corrected via LASIK procedures. However, other corrective procedures may be available and the rapid evolution of medical science is on their side.
- LASIK surgery is too expensive. Understandably, “how much does LASIK surgery cost?” is one of the most common LASIK questions. In the beginning, it was admittedly a cost-prohibitive procedure. However, as modern LASIK advancements have improved, the cost of LASIK eye surgery has decreased significantly. Between health insurance plans, tax deductions, and LASIK financing options, most people find that their LASIK vision surgery is surprisingly affordable.
We hope the answers to these LASIK questions help to “de-myth-ify” some of the misconceptions which surround LASIK surgery. Have more questions? Don’t hesitate to Contact King LASIK for more information about how LASIK surgery can clear up your vision in a matter of minutes.