Is LASIK Eye Surgery Right for You? The Facts and Options to Consider
Ask people who’ve had a laser vision correction procedure, such as LASIK eye surgery, and the majority of them highly recommend it. Why? Because they now see like people born with excellent vision, without glasses or contacts getting in the way. The ability to see well, to have reliably good vision available at the ready, is a tremendous benefit to one’s quality of life. It is why LASIK here in Kansas City is so popular.
The latest research shows up to 98 percent of LASIK patients are satisfied with their results. It’s outstanding for any medical procedure, particularly an elective one. But when you are choosing, rather than needing, a procedure, you want to be sure you are making an informed, confident decision. LASIK eye surgery is known for both its safety and for delivering great vision. More than 7,000 research studies have been conducted to prove the point, but no surgery is without risks. This is a great article to help you understand LASIK complications.
One thing to keep in mind, it is vital to have a thorough consultation and evaluation of your eye and vision before deciding to move forward with a laser vision correction procedure. The results of that exam contain very important information – both for you and your surgeon. Those results help determine what, if any, procedure is best for you and your vision. With that information, you can then make an educated decision after weighing some additional facts about LASIK:
LASIK doesn’t deliver instant perfect vision
This is a popular myth because most people do see better immediately after LASIK. However, the reality is laser vision correction is surgery and with any surgery there is a recovery process. Particularly in the first few weeks, people can experience dry eye, glare and halos while their eyes heal and adjust to their new visual capabilities. These generally clear up with time and healing, but some people may need additional treatment.
Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery
Certain eye conditions, such as thin or irregular corneas and diseases like glaucoma, may disqualify you for LASIK. There are also several autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, and medications like corticosteroids, that impact the body’s ability to heal. If you are told you have a condition that precludes you from LASIK eye surgery, there may be other options to improve your vision. Today, surgeons have many different laser vision correction procedures and lens-based technologies that can offer great results for those who are good candidates.
Understanding the realities of laser vision correction will help you make an informed decision. If you are curious about LASIK or another procedure, come into one of our locations and let’s discuss your vision correction goals and find out if it is right for you.
