How Long Does LASIK Last?
LASIK eye surgery is a popular surgical procedure used to correct vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Thousands of people undergo the procedure each year with the goal to achieve a life free of glasses and contacts. If you’re considering getting LASIK eye surgery, you may be wondering: How long does LASIK last? The answer depends on a multitude of factors.
LASIK can be long-lasting, and many people experience improved vision for many years after the procedure.
It’s important to note that the longevity of LASIK eye surgery can vary from person to person. In this guide, the experts at Panhandle Laser Vision Institute will discuss all the different factors that can influence the longevity of your LASIK surgery.
What Influences How Long LASIK Lasts?
There are several important factors unique to each person that can help predict how long the results from your LASIK surgery will last.
Your Initial Prescription
The severity of your vision problems before LASIK can affect how long LASIK will work for you. People with milder prescriptions often get better outcomes. This is because the laser reshaping of the cornea is less drastic for individuals with lower levels of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. Their corneas are less likely to experience big changes that could impact their corrected vision. For some individuals with thicker corneas or a really strong prescription, LASIK may not be the best treatment option.
Your Age
Did you know that LASIK had better results for adults rather than young adults or children? One of the key things you need to keep your 20/20 vision after LASIK is a stable prescription. This is why many surgeons recommend waiting until your prescription has remained stable for at least a year before considering LASIK.
LASIK works better in adults because their vision has mostly stopped changing rapidly. If LASIK is performed at a younger age when your eyes are still changing, there’s a possibility that your prescription could continue to change after the surgery. This might cause your vision to become unclear again over time.
Your Eye Health
While LASIK can treat various refractive errors, it can’t fix chronic eye conditions you might have.
Conditions like dry eyes can impact the success and longevity of LASIK results. For example, dry eyes can cause discomfort and affect visual quality, potentially leading to fluctuations in vision even after LASIK.
It’s important to make sure any existing eye health issues are addressed before undergoing LASIK surgery.
Your Lifestyle
Your lifestyle choices can also impact your vision after LASIK. Prolonged exposure to sunlight without UV protection can contribute to eye damage over time. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, protecting your eyes from excessive sunlight and wearing sunglasses with UV protection can help preserve your visual health after LASIK.
Likewise, you’ll want to minimize smoking and control your blood pressure to keep your vision healthy and clear after LASIK.
If You Have Presbyopia
Have you heard of presbyopia? It’s a condition that affects individuals over the age of 40 and leads to difficulty seeing things up close. It’s caused by the natural aging of the eye and cannot be prevented. Patients with presbyopia may need reading glasses as a result. Unfortunately, LASIK will not prevent age-related changes in near vision. Even if you’ve received LASIK surgery, you might still need reading glasses or other corrective lenses as you age.