Laser eye surgery, the most common of which is LASIK, has transformed the lives of millions of people worldwide. While LASIK has become routine, it comes with a large share of myths and misconceptions, despite having been FDA approved since 1999. In today’s article, we debunk these myths and provide you with accurate information to allow you to make an informed about whether laser eye surgery is right for you.
Myth #1: I’m too young for LASIK because my prescription isn’t stable yet.
Age is not the sole factor in determining LASIK candidacy. While it is true that the stability of your prescription is crucial for successful long-term LASIK, many younger individuals meet the criteria required to have LASIK. Typically, our eyes start to stable by the age of 18, which has resulted in many successful LASIK outcomes for the younger generations. It is in your best interest to have a consultation with your ophthalmologist to determine if you’re a good candidate. Even if your prescription does change post-LASIK, LASIK can be retreated with today’s technology in most cases.
Myth #2: Laser eye surgery is not permanent.
There is an unfortunately common statement out there that goes something along the lines of: “My LASIK lasted x years.” This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. LASIK is designed to provide long-lasting vision correction. The corneal reshaping done by the laser is permanent, and most patients will enjoy crisp, clear vision for years to come. However, eyes can change in the years after LASIK, but these changes are minor in terms of what vision had been corrected. Nearly all patients having had LASIK will never know the feeling of waking up and not being able to find their glasses again due to poor eyesight.
This misconception is likely drawn from people eventually having issues reading, which is a separate issue involving the focusing lens of the eye hardening and not being as fluid. When this happens, reading glasses may be needed, but your doctor may also be able to fix this with retreatment or other surgical options.
Myth #3: I have astigmatism, so I can’t have laser eye surgery.
Remove this myth from your mind as it is simply not true. Have astigmatism does not limit patients from undergoing LASIK or other vision correction procedures. During vision correction procedures, LASIK is used to reshape the cornea. Since astigmatism is an error in the shape of the cornea, there is no reason it will limit your ability to have laser eye surgery. We have seen countless success stories of patients with varying levels of astigmatism resulting in massively improved vision. Even those patients with high levels of astigmatism may still benefit from improved vision.
Myth #4: Laser eye surgery is painful and has a long recovery time.
At Carrot LASIK & Eye Center, we use modern technology such as lasers to reshape the cornea. Further, numbing eye drops are used in addition to light sedatives. The vast majority of patients never feel a thing, and those that do mention feeling nothing more than a light pressure on their eye. Moreover, the recovery time is relatively short. Most individuals will return to normal activities the day after their procedure, though the doctors may limit heavy lifting and water-related sports for the first few weeks following your procedure.
Myth #5: Everyone experiences perfect vision right after surgery.
Though almost everyone sees an immediate, and massive, improvement on their vision following laser eye surgery, vision tends to feel smokey or hazy right after sitting up from the bed. This is somewhat by design, as the day of surgery is for resting and healing, the day after is for enjoying your new vision! Also, while many patients will achieve remarkable improvements after surgery, it is also common for vision to improve in the weeks following surgery. In rare cases, a touch-up or retreatment may be necessary, but the good news is retreatment is absolutely a thing!
Myth #6: I was told I wasn’t a candidate for LASIK so there’s no way for me to get surgical vision correction.
Guidelines 5 years ago are completely different than today, and multiple new methods of vision correction exist. If you weren’t a candidate for bladed eye surgery, laser eye surgery may be right for you. We also offer something called implantable Collamer lens (ICL) surgery, which is much like installing a permanent content lens inside the eye. Because ICLs don’t deal with the cornea, many of the limiting factors for LASIK don’t apply. The best part? The testing isn’t much different, so if you’re being evaluated for laser eye surgery, ask about the benefits of ICL surgery!
Myth #7: Laser eye surgery is the same everywhere, just get the cheapest option.
Choosing the right type of laser eye surgery is a personal decision that should be based on your unique needs. At Carrot LASIK & Eye Center we do things a little bit differently. Besides using the most modern, and therefore safest, technologies, we also employ machine learning that takes into account things as small as the temperature and humidity of the room to ensure better outcomes. Who knew that the temperature of the surgical suite could have an effect on the laser?! At Carrot, you don’t need to worry about these things because we already have.
Myth #8: All laser eye surgeons are the same.
If we had to pick one myth that we built our business on breaking, it’s this one. At Carrot LASIK & Eye Center, we pride ourselves on treating you like a member of our family. Though LASIK may be routine, your visit and experience is surely not. Further, not all surgeons are the same, and their experiences and expertise can greatly impact the outcome. We’ll let our patients’ testimonials and reviews speak for themselves on how passionate our doctors are about your stay here with us.
Myth #9: Laser eye surgery is expensive.
The cost of laser eye surgery can be a concern for many, but it is essential to consider the long-term costs of skipping LASIK and other vision correction procedures. When you factor in the expenses of glasses, prescription sunglasses, contact lenses, and their maintenance laser eye surgery’s costs start to look far more affordable, if not cheaper, than the alternatives. Further, Carrot LASIK & Eye Center offers financing to help break up the costs associated with laser eye surgery.
Myth #10: Laser eye surgery is too new to know the long-term effects.
Believe it or not, LASIK has been FDA approved since 1999, over 20 years and millions of successful procedures. Not only has laser eye surgery become a staple in today’s modern medicine, but it has also been extensively researched and numerous studies support its long-term benefits. Every year hundreds of thousands of Americans opt to free themselves from contacts and glasses.
Bonus Myth: Contacts are safer than laser eye surgery.
Did you know that you are at higher risk of eye damage from contacts than you are from having laser eye surgery? LASIK has become one of the safest elective procedures you can have done that results in immediate improvement in your day-to-day activities. Contacts, on the other hand, are an on-going risk that can easily result in eye trauma, dryness, and vision loss. Free yourself of the risks of wearing contacts by upgrading to the safer option: LASIK.
Conclusion:
We think it is crystal clear: laser eye surgery is the right way to go. If you’d like more information on laser eye surgery, we recommend scheduling a consultation to understand if laser eye surgery is right for you.
