For people considering permanent vision correction, one question always comes up: does LASIK wear off?
The short answer is no. As a technology, LASIK uses lasers to change the shape of the cornea, and this shape change is usually permanent for most people. The eye takes on a different structure for life, allowing many patients to enjoy excellent distance vision for decades. This is one of the reasons why many people favor surgery over the lifetime cost of glasses and contact lenses.
It’s worth being frank, though, about LASIK results. Many patients still reach for their reading glasses after LASIK. The truth is that for most people over 40, the lens inside the eye stiffens naturally, making it more challenging to focus on small print. This process called presbyopia happens to most people. Later in life the lens can cloud into a cataract.
The important point is that neither means that LASIK results are invalid. Both problems would have occurred anyway for most patients.
The best candidates for LASIK surgery (laser vision correction) are people over 18 with a prescription, glasses, and eyesight that has been steady for around a year or so. You also need sufficient corneal thickness and to have generally healthy eyes. Most people qualify, though, including allergy sufferers.
It is sometimes possible to have LASIK twice if you need a touch-up, but we’ll tell you if this is appropriate.
If you want to be certain, come and speak to us. Learn more about LASIK surgery, then schedule your consultation with Dr. Lee to see if this treatment is for you.