How Long Does LASIK Surgery Last?
Anytime you’re considering a surgical procedure, it’s unlikely that you’ll enter into it lightly. You’ll probably want to know whether the surgery provides a permanent solution or, if not, how long the surgery will last. It’s no different with LASIK. Since eyesight typically changes throughout your life, it’s natural to wonder, “How long does LASIK last, and does LASIK wear off?”
Let’s take a closer look at how LASIK eye surgery works to correct your vision so that you know what to expect from the life of your surgery. Does LASIK last forever?
Is LASIK Permanent?
Yes, LASIK eye surgery permanently reshapes the cornea, or the surface of the eye, to fix imperfections and correct the shape or curvature of your cornea. Any corrections to aberrations, or refractive errors, made during your surgery will be permanent as well. This begs the question: does LASIK last forever? That answer is a little more complex.
Because the corrections made during your LASIK procedure are permanent, your vision will never regress back to its pre-surgery condition. However, all eyes tend to change with age. As you get older, your eyes, and therefore your vision, may change, causing issues like farsightedness or nearsightedness to gradually worsen. Similar to how a glasses prescription won’t last forever, your vision probably won’t stay the same forever either, even after LASIK.
How Long Does LASIK Last?
Your LASIK procedure will last your whole life. But, again — this doesn’t mean you won’t ever need another form of vision correction. After about age 40, the eye’s lens begins to lose elasticity and becomes stiffer, which makes it harder for your eyes to focus on fine details, small print, or things held close to your eyes. This is called presbyopia, and it’s one of the most common vision problems experienced by people over 40.
LASIK can’t stop presbyopia from occurring with age, but it corrects other vision errors for the remainder of your life. Most patients remain happy with their vision following LASIK for at least 10 years. However, studies in the United States show that about 10% of patients required retreatment within 12 years because of vision changes due to age. Another study in Taiwan showed that retreatment was required after 10 years for about 35% of patients. This was largely due to natural age-related eye changes. Some patients are happy enough with the results that they opt to just wear glasses to correct age-related vision issues instead.
Does LASIK Wear Off?
Some people believe that LASIK needs to be redone every 10 years. How does LASIK last forever if you might need additional vision correction after 10 to 12 years? While the need for LASIK correction every 10 years is a myth, this myth is probably attributed to the age-related presbyopia that all eyes are subject to.
Other issues could develop as well, like cataracts or glaucoma, both of which could also impact your vision. If you feel like your LASIK is “wearing off,” see your eye doctor for a full eye exam. From there, you can determine what is causing your new vision problems and choose the best course for correcting them.
If your vision does change after about 10 years, you may choose to look into LASIK enhancement to correct new vision problems. You should talk to your eye doctor about how to effectively and successfully improve your current vision. Depending on the cause of your new vision changes, you may need to discuss any number of options, including lens replacement surgery for cataracts, surgical treatments for glaucoma, monovision LASIK, or even just reading glasses.
What is the long term impact of LASIK
In addition to wondering,”How long does laser eye surgery last?” many patients wonder if there are any other long term effects that come with LASIK surgery. Like any other surgical procedure, LASIK comes with a very small risk of complications and side effects. However, LASIK is actually one of the safest elective surgical procedures performed today and has an estimated complication rate well below 1%.
In fact, there’s a significantly higher likelihood of experiencing complications due to contact lenses than LASIK. Studies show that 1 out of every 500 contact lens wearers is affected by serious eye infections that can lead to blindness. In contrast, LASIK has never been the cause of blindness in any patient.
Before approving you for the surgery, your eye surgeon will ensure that you are a good LASIK candidate. This is a careful screening process, during which your eye surgeon will review your medical history and ensure you have had a thorough eye exam to determine your eligibility. Every patient’s eyes and health are unique, so this review process ensures that LASIK is a good match for your vision correction needs.
As such, the procedure you receive is able to precisely target your needs, minimizing the likelihood of complications and side effects. More than 96% of patients report satisfaction with their vision results, and this high satisfaction rate and extremely low rate of complications make the procedure highly successful for the majority of patients. For most patients, the long term impacts are extremely beneficial, permanently improving their vision.
Is LASIK the long term vision solution for you?
Now you know the answer to, “How long does LASIK last, and does it wear off?” With this information, you can prepare for your LASIK surgery with realistic expectations about your vision correction. While LASIK can’t stop age-related vision problems like presbyopia or cataracts, it can help resolve other vision errors that may be even more problematic. Because of this, the majority of patients are extremely happy with the results. And, since LASIK won’t make presbyopia worse or cause or worsen cataracts—just more myths—you can trust that your LASIK will set you up for years of improved vision.
It’s also helpful to know that getting LASIK also won’t prevent you from getting other necessary eye surgeries in the future, should you need them. There’s no need to wonder, “How long does laser eye surgery last?” Your LASIK correction will last a lifetime, and any other corrections needed can be addressed when the time comes. If a highly experienced eye surgeon recommends LASIK for your eyes, you can feel confident that it’s the right choice for you.
Improve Your Vision Today with LASIK at Dello Russo Laser Vision
Now you know the answer to, “How long does LASIK last, and does LASIK wear off?” With this information, you can prepare for your LASIK surgery with realistic expectations about your vision correction. While LASIK can’t stop age-related vision problems like presbyopia or cataracts, it can help resolve other vision errors that may be even more problematic. Because of this, the majority of patients are extremely happy with the results. And, since LASIK won’t make presbyopia worse or cause or worsen cataracts—more myths—you can trust that your LASIK will set you up for years of improved vision.
LASIK also won’t prevent you from getting other necessary eye surgeries in the future, should you need them. There’s no need to wonder, “How long does laser eye surgery last?” Your LASIK correction will last a lifetime, and any other corrections needed can be addressed when the time comes. If a highly experienced eye surgeon recommends LASIK for your eyes, you can feel confident that it’s the right choice for you.
At Dello Russo Laser Vision, we believe the decision to get LASIK should be a collaborative process between you and your eye surgeon. We always start with a complimentary initial consultation to get a clear idea of your vision needs. To determine whether you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery, you’ll also supply necessary health information and get a thorough eye exam to see whether your eyes are a good match for this particular laser surgery. From there, we can develop a personalized treatment plan just for you and your unique eyes.
We invite you to explore our website to learn more about Dello Russo Laser Vision and our team of experienced, World Class LASIK Surgeons. We have been the leading eye care providers in the Northeast for more than 31 years, and we’re proud of our legacy of service to our community. We hope you’ll join our many satisfied patients and make your appointment to discuss your laser eye surgery today. Contact us via our website, or give us a call at (855) 646-2020 to book your free initial consultation today. We look forward to helping you achieve better vision!
