If your glasses are your least favorite fashion accessory, LASIK eye surgery may be an effective option for fully correcting your vision. This procedure is a type of laser refractive surgery that reverses vision problems that are related to the shape of your cornea. These irregularities prevent light from reaching your retina properly, which means that your brain cannot clearly interpret what you are seeing.
LASIK can correct several cornea-related vision problems, including:
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Astigmatism
Many patients experience complete and permanent vision correction after this procedure, but thoroughly understanding its benefits and drawbacks is key when it comes to determining whether LASIK may be right for you.
In this article our eye doctors explore some of the health, vision and lifestyle considerations that help determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. If you are considering LASIK eye surgery in Pittsburgh, meeting with a Chang Eye Group ophthalmologist is an important step in learning more about this procedure and getting any questions you have answered.
What are the Benefits of Choosing LASIK?
LASIK is an established procedure that typically allows patients to reduce or completely remove their need for eyeglasses or contact lenses. This is because the procedure works by directly adjusting the shape of your corneas so that the type of vision loss you are experiencing now cannot reverse itself.
Many patients find that the surgery fully restores their vision, and even those that do not will usually experience significant improvement and reduce their dependency on wearing corrective lenses. This makes LASIK an ideal option for many patients that would like to stop wearing glasses or contact lenses.
Other benefits of choosing LASIK eye surgery include:
- A short outpatient procedure that involves no pain during the surgery itself
- A shorter recovery process than required by many non-laser ocular surgical procedures
- Advanced technology can correct a wider range of refractive problems (rather than being limited to myopia as in the past)
- Significantly lower costs than when LASIK was a new procedure
Who Might Be a Good Candidate for LASIK?
LASIK can significantly improve many patients’ vision, but it is important to be sure that your current eye health and lifestyle make this procedure a good fit for you before moving forward.
Vision correction strength & stability
An important first consideration is the stability of your vision correction prescription. Eye doctors will typically defer LASIK eligibility if your eyesight has been changing or needing a new prescription within a year.
Rapid vision changes are common until your early 20s, so young adults may need to wait for their prescription to stabilize to be considered as a candidate. Keep in mind that although a patient must be at least 18 years old to be treated with LASIK, most are over 21 years old.
Patients can experience significant vision improvement even if their prescription is strong, but it is important to be aware that it does not always result in “perfect” 20/20 vision. Talk with your eye doctor or an ophthalmologist in Pittsburgh at Chang Eye Group for a detailed review of your eye health.
Health factors
Ocular and overall health are both important factors in determining whether LASIK is likely to be successful and estimating how well a patient will handle the surgery and healing process. Patients with no active eye diseases or other ocular health conditions tend to be the best candidates for this procedure.
You may still experience exceptional results from LASIK if you have certain ocular conditions, however the eye surgery tends to be most successful when there are no other issues present as these may inhibit its ability to fully restore vision. Eye doctors are typically more likely to recommend LASIK to individuals that do not have:
- Glaucoma
- Dry eyes
- Diabetes
- Ocular inflammatory conditions
- Certain autoimmune or immunodeficiency conditions
Lifestyle considerations
Prioritizing a healthy and active lifestyle is an important step in supporting ocular health. Patients that are committed to eating a nutritious diet and getting plenty of exercise may be more likely to keep the vision results provided by LASIK for many years.
LASIK eye surgery candidates that participate in certain contact sports should also consider deferring the procedure. Injuries caused by these sports may increase the likelihood of LASIK-related complications. Specifically, athletes that are active in boxing, wrestling or martial arts should talk with their eye doctor about other potential vision correction options.
Good candidates for LASIK are also committed to responsibly caring for their eyes after surgery to avoid largely preventable complications. Your eyes will be vulnerable to damage for several weeks after this procedure, and your ophthalmologist will provide several important instructions to follow to keep your eyes as comfortable as possible and avoid additional vision problems.
Some important aftercare steps include:
- Avoiding reading, screens, and other activities that may cause eye strain during the first 24 hours after your procedure
- Wearing eye shields for the first 24 hours
- Taking any medications or eye drops your eye doctor prescribes
- Avoiding rubbing your eyes, wearing makeup, and participating in water activities or contact sports for 1-2 weeks after surgery
- Not driving until your eye doctor determines that your vision is clear enough to safely do so
- Wearing sunglasses when outdoors or around other especially bright lights
- Attending all follow-up appointments to allow your eye doctor to monitor the progress of your vision and healing over time
- Being aware that your vision may take several months to fully stabilize and discussing any concerns that may arise throughout the healing process with your eye doctor
Potential Disqualifying Factors for LASIK Surgery
Your eye doctor will discuss your complete ocular and overall health history with you prior to deciding if LASIK is appropriate for you. While most patients have a generally positive experience throughout the procedure itself and its healing process, there are certain conditions or other risk factors that may indicate that LASIK will be more difficult for you or less likely to provide your desired results.
Be sure to talk with your eye doctor if you have any of the following health or life conditions:
- Certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
- HIV or other immunodeficiency diseases
- Herpes (especially if the eye is involved)
- Glaucoma or ocular hypertension
- Uveitis, iritis, blepharitis, or other ocular inflammatory conditions
- Keratoconus
- Previous eye injuries or surgeries
- Refractive instability (requiring a corrective prescription within the past year)
- Large pupils, thin corneas, or other eye structure irregularities
- Dry eye problems
- Diabetes or other conditions that are known to cause significant hormone fluctuation
- Use of retinoic acid, steroids, or other medications that may interfere with the healing process
- Taking certain medications with known links to vision changes
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Participation in martial arts, wrestling, or other contact sports that are especially likely to result in eye, face, or head injuries
- Concerns surrounding the cost of the procedure, as LASIK is often not covered by insurance
- Being under 21 years old
Although these factors will not necessarily automatically disqualify you from having LASIK, they will require further evaluation to help your eye doctor determine the likelihood of introducing any additional complications.
If you are in the Pittsburgh area, scheduling a consultation with a Chang Eye Group ophthalmologist is the most efficient way to get your questions answered about LASIK.
Typical LASIK Side Effects and Other Risks
Like many laser procedures, LASIK is generally a more straightforward alternative to other types of eye surgery. You will not experience any pain or discomfort during the procedure itself because your eye doctor will use numbing eye drops and possibly sedatives to make your surgery as easy as possible.
Most patients also find that the healing process for LASIK eye surgery is shorter than they expected. However, there are still side effects and potential risks to be aware of before moving forward with LASIK.
Below is a list of several potential risks that some patients have experienced following LASIK. Be sure to discuss these with your eye doctor before committing to the procedure:
- Corneal ectasia (cornea becomes too thin or weak to maintain its shape)
- Overcorrection or undercorrection (too much or too little tissue removed)
- Astigmatism
- Problems with your eye flaps
- Significant vision loss
- Dry eyes, possibly caused by temporary reduced tear production
- Double vision, halos, glare issues, or other vision problems
- Light sensitivity
- Minor pain, redness, or other discomfort throughout the healing process
Choose Chang Eye Group for LASIK Eye Surgery in Pittsburgh
At Chang Eye Group, we prioritize providing as much information as possible to help our patients make informed decisions about their ocular health. LASIK eye surgery often provides excellent results when it comes to restoring patients’ vision, but thoroughly understanding potential complications before deciding to have this surgery is crucial.
Our experienced ophthalmologists will work with you to carefully evaluate any conditions or other risk factors that may reduce your likelihood of being a good candidate for LASIK early in the process so that you feel confident about your decision. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to help you determine whether LASIK is right for you.
