Is Laser Eye Surgery Cosmetic?

7 Ways LASIK Eye Surgery Makes Life More Convenient Imagine going to bed after a long day without removing and storing your contacts. Imagine waking up in the morning and seeing clearly without reaching for your glasses. After LASIK eye surgery, you can enjoy life without the hassles of glasses or contacts.

LASIK, a type of laser refractive eye surgery, reshapes the tissue underneath your cornea to correct how your eye focuses light. Your surgeon creates a flap on the top layer of your cornea and lifts it back to use the laser on the underlying tissue. After applying the laser, your surgeon replaces the flap over the area.

The LASIK procedure is fast — 10 minutes per eye. Frederick Fraunfelder, MD, an ophthalmologist at MU Health Care’s Mason Eye Clinic, helps patients see clearly with the help of LASIK. Here are some of the benefits his patients have reported:

Restored eyesight : LASIK is effective and corrects vision with low risks. You might not need glasses or contacts any longer. Recreational improvements : With excellent vision, you can play sports without worrying about breaking your glasses and run on the treadmill without your glasses bouncing around. You can actually see while you swim. Health benefits : If you wear contacts, touching your eyes daily can easily irritate them as well as introduce allergens and infections. After LASIK, keep your fingers out of your eyes and reduce these risks. A new profile picture : If you wear glasses, you’ll have a fresh new look after LASIK. Emergency readiness : You won’t have to search for your glasses or put in your contacts if you hear that middle-of-the-night fire alarm. Light traveling : You’ll no longer need to worry about packing items for your eyesight. It’s one less thing on your to-do list before a weekend getaway. Cost savings : Even though LASIK is considered a cosmetic procedure, over the long term it is often a cheaper alternative to contacts or glasses. You may no longer need to buy contact lenses and solution nor invest in new frames and lenses.

: 7 Ways LASIK Eye Surgery Makes Life More Convenient

Is laser eye surgery risky?

How Safe is LASIK? – All surgeries carry some risk of complications and side effects, but LASIK is generally considered a safe procedure with a low complication rate.3 In fact, LASIK is one of the safest elective surgical procedures available today, with a complication rate estimated to be less than 1%. LASIK surgery has never been the exclusive cause of blindness 5 Contact lenses cause more cases of eye inflammation each year than LASIK—in fact, 3 times as many 6 Patients who experienced worse vision after LASIK surgery was less than 1% (LASIK surpasses the FDA standard for safety with a complication rate of 5%) 7

Is laser eye surgery good long-term?

Permanently corrected vision – One of the benefits of laser eye surgery (including LASIK) is its permanence. Once the procedure takes place, the effects of laser eye surgery – reshaping the cornea to correct long- or short-sightedness – will usually last for life.

Whether you have myopia (commonly known as near-sightedness and short-sightedness) or hyperopia (also known as hypermetropia and far-sightedness), following laser eye surgery, your corrected vision will allow you to read, drive and live your life without the aid of glasses or contact lenses. The procedure, which can take as little as 20 minutes, will provide a lasting correction to your eye prescription.

However, with age, your eyes may change and you may experience other vision problems. While the changes made by laser eye surgery are permanent, this will not prevent these age-related changes from occurring. Here’s an overview of the results you can expect from the surgery and the vision problems that some individuals may experience as they age:

Is laser eye surgery good for life?

Can LASIK Wear Off? – There is a myth that LASIK, after 10 years, wears off. But, LASIK is permanent. LASIK permanently corrects the vision prescription that you have at the time of surgery. This means that it cannot wear off. However, any underlying conditions such as presbyopia that progress over time can cause changes to your vision, making the original LASIK procedure less effective.

1. For example, as you age into your 40s and 50s, the crystalline lens of the eye becomes stiffer, causing presbyopia which is a vision condition that makes it difficult to focus on near-sighted items.
2. This is where at what age you have the LASIK surgery done can impact if LASIK is permanent.
3. Another reason your vision could change is due to an underlying medical condition that develops like cataracts,

While it is a common belief that LASIK surgery can prevent cataracts, many people can still develop them. After you get LASIK eye surgery, developing cataracts can impact your vision’s clarity, making it necessary for additional vision correction.

Why do people not get laser eye surgery?

2. Unresolved Vision Problems – Our eyes may encounter more problems than simple refractive errors. Dry eye is a common condition that may not seem serious but can prevent you from being eligible for LASIK. Scarring from a previous eye injury or surgery can impede the surgeon’s ability to perform the operation safely.

What age is good for LASIK surgery?

LASIK: 25-40 – Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate. Before the age of 25, your prescription may still be changing.

Does LASIK cause problems later in life?

Joe R. McFarlane Jr., MD: ” We are also just now learning of some of the long-term complications of, which are being reflected in new allegations and lawsuits. For example, some patients are developing postrefractive ectasia years after the procedure; this condition not only compromises vision, but also may need to be treated with a corneal transplant “.

Source: EyeNet Magazine, November 2007. LASIK surgeons are aware of universal adverse effects and long term consequences of LASIK, but this information is not fully disclosed to patients prior to Lasik. Problems from Lasik? File a MedWatch report with the FDA online. Alternatively, you may call FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report by telephone or download the MedWatcher Mobile App for reporting LASIK problems to the FDA using a smart phone or tablet.

Read a sample of LASIK injury reports currently on file with the FDA. Patients with LASIK complications are invited to join the discussion on FaceBook The LASIK flap never heals. A relatively weak scar forms at the flap margin, which holds the flap in place, but the flap itself does not bond to the cornea.

Peer-reviewed medical literature contains numerous reports of flap dislocations occuring years after LASIK. Patients should be informed of this risk prior to undergoing LASIK. More info and photos The cornea is under constant stress from normal intraocular pressure pushing outward. Collagen bands of the cornea provide its form and biomechanical strength.

LASIK thins the cornea and severs collagen bands, permanently weakening the cornea. This results in forward bulging of the posterior cornea, which may progress to anterior steepening – a condition known as post-LASIK corneal ectasia, or keratectasia, characterized by loss of best corrected vision and possible need for corneal transplant.

• Corneal ectasia may develop months or years after seemingly ‘successful’ LASIK.
• More info and photos Refractive surgery alters corneal thickness and biomechanical properties of the cornea.
• Consequently, the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) is inaccurate after LASIK.
• IOP measurement is critical in the diagnosis of ocular hypertension and glaucoma risk.

Patients who have had LASIK may lose vision due to undiagnosed glaucoma. Read more Everyone will develop cataracts if they live long enough, including patients who have had LASIK and other forms of refractive eye surgery. Cataract surgery involves removal of the natural lens inside the eye and implantation of an artifical intraocular lens (IOL).

The altered corneal shape after LASIK results in inaccurate measurement of the intraocular lens power for cataract surgery. This means that patients who have LASIK surgery and later develop cataracts may be right back in glasses after cataract surgery – or worse, subjected to the inherent risks of multiple corrective surgeries.

Moreover, studies have found that Lasik patients undergo cataract surgery 10 – 15 years earlier than people who have not had previous eye surgery, which suggests that Lasik may lead to early cataracts. Read more Published medical studies have shown a persistent decrease in corneal cells (keratocytes) after LASIK.

1. Doctors speculate that this loss might lead to long-term problems.
2. Read more Corneal nerves responsible for tear production are severed and destroyed during LASIK.
3. Microscopic examinations of post-LASIK corneas show the reduction in corneal nerves after LASIK persists for years.
4. No study at any time point has found that corneal nerves fully recover after LASIK to normal densities and patterns.

Damaged nerves may lead to chronic dry eyes and/or intractable corneal neuropathic pain, Read more “Eyes that have undergone LASIK may be more pre-disposed to infections than unoperated eyes, and the infection may progress more rapidly when it occurs.

A possible explanation for the presentation of delayed keratitis after LASIK is that creating the lamellar flap may induce a permanent portal in the corneal periphery for microorganisms to penetrate.” Source: Vieira et al. Late-onset Infections After LASIK. J Refract Surg.2008 Apr;24(4):411-3. LASIK clinical trials demonstrate that LASIK routinely leads to loss of visual quality, which is demonstrated by an increase in visual aberrations not correctable with glasses (higher order aberrations).

Simply stated, patients generally do not see as well in dim light after LASIK as they did with their glasses. The FDA website warns that LASIK patients may develop debilitating visual symptoms that can seriously affect nighttime vision. Read more Disclaimer: The information contained on this web site is presented for the purpose of warning people about LASIK complications prior to surgery.

Are glasses better than laser eye surgery?

Comparing Treatment Costs – Although both LASIK and glasses can improve your vision, glasses will not keep your sight from getting worse. In almost all cases, you will need to get a new lens prescription every few years. Eventually, this could cost a significant amount of money.

What is better than laser eye surgery?

4 LASIK Alternatives to Consider | LASIK Alternatives If you are a candidate for laser eye surgery, you may want to know about the different LASIK alternatives so you can make a truly informed decision as to which procedure is right for you. The type of procedure can also depend on specific attributes of your eyes, such as how thin your corneas are.

The four alternatives to traditional are LASEK, Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants, Epi-LASIK, and Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery. LASEK If you have thin or flat corneas, LASEK is one of the best LASIK alternatives. The procedure doesn’t involve the use of a laser or blade. Instead, an alcohol solution is used to soften the outer layer of the cornea, allowing it to be removed.

A laser doesn’t come into the picture until it is time to reshape the cornea. This is a less invasive procedure that has a low rate of infection. The downfall, when compared to a regular LASIK procedure is that the recovery time is not as fast. Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants If a patient has a lens that is not able to focus, he or she most likely doesn’t qualify for LASIK.

1. Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants are good alternatives.
2. This procedure doesn’t involve any peeling back of corneal layers or cutting.
3. Small portions of the cornea remain intact as well.
4. Instead, an artificial lens that is made of plastic or silicone is implanted in the eye between the cornea and iris to improve how the eye focuses.

Although the lens is intended to be permanent, it can be removed at any time. The recovery time can vary depending on the lens material, but many patients report improvements to their vision within 24 hours after the surgery. Epi-LASIK Like LASEK, Epi-LASIK is not as invasive as traditional LASIK.

1. However, a plastic blade lifts the epithelium to separate it from the inner cornea.
2. A laser then reshapes the cornea’s inner tissue.
3. After the reshaping is finished, a protective contact lens is inserted to help the eye recover.
4. This procedure is also ideal for patients with thin corneas and those desiring a faster recovery time.

Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery is another LASIK alternative that can help those that don’t qualify for traditional corrective surgery. A laser is used to remove the natural lens so it can be replaced with an artificial IntraOcular lens.

• Once completed, the eye’s ability to focus improves.
• This surgery corrects farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism with very good results.
• In fact, the results seem to last longer than other types of laser eye surgeries.
• This is due to the artificial lens staying clear and never aging.
• These patients also don’t develop cataracts.

Overall, these procedures work well for people with moderate to severe vision issues. They also work well for the people that don’t qualify for traditional surgery. With the existence of these methods, more people are able to experience the benefits of vision correction surgery, such as not having to deal with corrective lenses and the ongoing cost.

Will I need glasses after LASIK?

Around 10 million Americans have undergone LASIK since it was approved by the FDA in 1999. – The whole point of LASIK surgery is to remove the need for glasses, but now you’re being told you may still need them? LASIK surgery permanently corrects vision problems like myopia (nearsightedness), usually eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses immediately after the procedure.

1. What many don’t realize is that LASIK surgery doesn’t protect against age-related eye conditions or remove certain refractive errors caused by the thickness of the cornea.
2. For this reason, even individuals who have had successful LASIK surgery may need glasses,
3. Make an appointment with an eye doctor near you to discuss if LASIK surgery is good for you and your eyes.

SEE RELATED: LASIK Co-Management

Can your eyesight get worse again after laser eye surgery?

Progression of Farsightedness, Nearsightedness, or Astigmatism – It is normal for your eyes to change throughout your life. When you visit the eye doctor and leave with a stronger, new prescription, it is a sign that your eye condition is progressing.

• Our eye doctor most often recommends that patients wait to get LASIK until adulthood so that their vision can stabilize.
• Most patients wait to get LASIK until their prescription hasn’t changed for one year.
• LASIK eye surgery near you corrects any vision problems you have at the time of your procedure, but any vision problems you already have may continue to progress.

Luckily, these progressions are usually minor and occur very slowly over several years. Even if your farsightedness or nearsightedness continues to progress after getting LASIK, your vision will still be clearer than it would have been without undergoing laser eye surgery.

How many times can you have your eyes lasered?

Can laser eye surgery be performed more than once? – This is a question we get asked a lot, so we wanted to cover it today on our blog and provide some information about cases where laser eye surgery may be needed for a second time, after your initial treatment.

Simply put, yes, you can have laser eye surgery twice. However, the vast majority of our patients do not require a second procedure, as the changes made to your eye in laser eye surgery are permanent. For Optimax patients who do require re-treatment, we offer a Lifetime Aftercare Guarantee. This means that, where it is recommended by our medical team, we will offer patients who need a second laser surgery the procedure free of charge.

You can learn more about our guarantee here, and can read more to understand the process of re-treatment, should this apply to you.

How many times has laser eye surgery gone wrong?

What is the LASIK complication rate? – The LASIK complication rate is less than 1%. LASIK complications include infections as well as dislocation of the corneal flap that’s made during the surgery. Surgical complications from laser vision correction are extremely rare.

But they do occur. These qualify as complications because they require additional treatment – it could be harmful to leave them untreated. But LASIK complication rate statistics are extremely low. Less than one percent of LASIK patients experience these surgical complications. That’s one percent, as opposed to the up to 30 percent of patients that report experiencing short-term side effects.

In other words, LASIK complications are very rare events.