When considering laser eye surgery you have to prequalify before the doctor can perform the procedure. The reason is, that in some cases, a person may become more visually impaired than they were before the elective surgery. The following list of pros and cons will help you determine whether or not laser eye surgery is right for you.
Keep in mind Lasik is a brand name and similar treatments are available but go by several different names. For example: Intacs, PRELEX, Stroma, AK or RLI. Ask your doctor which treatment will be best for you!
Pro: Goodbye glasses
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While glasses may either positively or negatively affect how you see yourself, everyone agrees that they are not the most comfortable accessories to wear. If you enjoy wearing glasses but find discomfort in the pair you own, laser eye surgery is probably not for you. Perhaps find a more comfortable pair of glasses to wear.
However, if you don’t like how glasses feel or how they make you look, and contacts are not a welcoming option for you, then check with your doctor to see if you qualify for Lasik surgery.
Con: Causes bruises
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Lasik and other laser eye procedures use a suction cup apparatus to hold the eye still while the laser is doing its job. This suction cup almost always causes bruises in the white areas of the eye. The bruises essentially are just broken blood vessels, and the redness caused by the procedure can last up to three months. This means, for a whole three months, you may look like you just got back from “Spring Break” or a weekend in Las Vegas!
Pro: Death to contact lenses
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Contact lenses can cause dry itchy eyes, and in some extreme cases, bacterial infection in the eye. Because contact lenses decrease the amount of oxygen delivered to the surface of the eye as well as prevent tears from naturally cleaning the eye when you blink, the eye is unable to clean itself of bacteria and debris. This is what causes the dry itchy feeling that so many contact lens users experience.
Don’t forget the maintenance involved with proper contact lens care as well as the tedious task of trying to find a lost lens in a carpet or outdoors!
Con: Light sensitivity
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Many people who decide to proceed with Lasik often experience sensitivity to light. The sensitivity can cause irritating night glare and night blindness as well as a halo effect around bright surfaces during the day. This symptom usually clears up in most patients only a few days after the procedure. Most people who elect to have the surgery do not experience long-term side effects; however, 1 in 100 people who receive Lasik experience light sensitivity issues that last for more than one year.
Pro: Better vision
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Roughly 80 percent of the people who choose to receive the surgery will notice an immediate improvement in vision. Roughly 1 day after the procedure, the patient will be able to see as well as they did while wearing glasses or contact lenses 24-hours earlier. In a couple months, after the eye has completely healed, the patient will notice a big improvement in their sight from what it was prior to surgery.
Con: Continuing vision problems
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The remaining 20 percent that receive the treatment often report issues with the Lasik procedure in which they have trouble reading and seeing clearly up close. This symptom clears up in about 5 percent of patients after the eyes completely heal. However, the remaining 15 percent either have to continue treatments until the problem is corrected or continue to wear reading glasses when needed.
Pro: Quick painless procedure
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Lasik and other laser eye surgeries are outpatient treatments that can be done right in the doctor’s office as opposed to a more intensive/invasive surgery in a hospital. The treatment can take as little as 20 minutes to complete, and results might be noticed before you ever leave the office. Often follow-ups and future corrective surgery is included in the initial cost of the procedure as well.
Con: Aging eyes
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As people age their eyes change shape, and corrective lenses are needed. If you have received Lasik in the past, as you get older your eyes will revert back to the original vision you had prior to surgery, and a follow-up visit may need to take place to re-correct your vision.
This sometimes is not a viable option since as people age, the healing process takes longer. In some cases the doctor may even disqualify you from receiving another treatment and have you wear glasses again.