LASIK permanently corrects the vision prescription that you have at the time of surgery. This means that it cannot wear off. However, any underlying conditions such as
There is no set number of years that LASIK surgery will correct vision. For many, the effects of LASIK surgery last a lifetime; for others, 20 years, or some may require a LASIK enhancement after 10 years.
With modern LASIK, the enhancement rate is 1-2 percent in the first 12 months and then about 1 percent a year after that as patients' eyes can change with time. So, for example, 10 years after LASIK, approximately 10 percent of patients may require an enhancement procedure to maintain their excellent vision.
For most patients, the results of LASIK will last a lifetime. About 10-12% of patients nationwide will need an enhancement surgery because of anatomical changes to the eye/eyes.
The outer edges of the flap seal down in the epithelium within a day or so. Then, the deeper layers of the cornea continue to gradually anchor more tightly to the overlying flap. Full LASIK eye flap healing time usually takes a few weeks to a few months.
But, LASIK is permanent. LASIK permanently corrects the vision prescription that you have at the time of surgery. This means that it cannot wear off. However, any underlying conditions such as presbyopia that progress over time can cause changes to your vision, making the original LASIK procedure less effective.
Generally, there is no cap or specific number of times a person can undergo LASIK surgery.
Is it possible to have LASIK surgery twice? The short answer is yes, though this is usually only done 5 – 10 years after the initial treatment. However, rest assured that LASIK offers long-term vision correction, and very few people require a second session.
Yes, it is possible to get LASIK twice. However, it is extremely uncommon to need the surgery twice, and the majority of individuals who undergo LASIK enjoy lasting improved vision after just one procedure.
While there is currently no age limit for older adults wanting LASIK surgery, there are some vision conditions affecting adults age 40 and above that can't be treated with this surgery. These conditions are: Presbyopia or blurry near vision typically occurring around age 40. Cataracts or glaucoma.
Why LASIK After 40 Is Not a Good Idea. During the mid-to-late 40s, people will begin to experience age-related farsightedness. This condition is known as presbyopia. Presbyopia is the result of a hardening of the lens of the eye and changes in the muscles of the eyes.
LASIK: 25-40
Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate.
Could my vision change after Lasik? As we mentioned above, the laser makes permanent changes to the shape of the cornea. This cannot be reversed; however, sometimes vision can continue to change as a person ages. In this case, you may notice changes to your vision over the years even if you've undergone Lasik surgery.
No, the effects of LASIK do not wear off. However, certain normal aging changes inside the eye over time may affect refractive stability. For example, if your eyes had been corrected for distance when you're younger, when you get into your early or mid-forties, something called presbyopia will occur.
In most cases, LASIK has the potential to provide 20/20 vision. However, some people – including those who have higher prescriptions – may not achieve this level of visual acuity after laser surgery. If your vision is blurred beyond a certain point, you may still need a prescription for glasses or contacts.
Undergoing a LASIK surgery touch-up is uncommon but not unheard of. These procedures are very similar to the original LASIK procedure.
The LASIK complication rate is less than 1%. LASIK complications include infections as well as dislocation of the corneal flap that's made during the surgery. Surgical complications from laser vision correction are extremely rare. But they do occur.
Recurrence of myopia after myopic LASIK reduces the outcome of the procedure. Important causes include post-LASIK ectasia, regression of myopia, accommodative strain, and lens or axial length changes.
In fact, LASIK is one of the safest elective surgical procedures available today, with a complication rate estimated to be less than 1%.
You have a disease or are on medications that may affect wound healing. Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
LASIK eye surgery is an effective type of laser-assisted refractive surgery that can be used to treat common vision problems including astigmatism, myopia (nearsightedness), and hyperopia (farsightedness).
What many don't realize is that LASIK surgery doesn't protect against age-related eye conditions or remove certain refractive errors caused by the thickness of the cornea. For this reason, even individuals who have had successful LASIK surgery may need glasses.
Once the full healing process after Eye LASIK surgery has been completed, your optimum visual acuity will be reached. After 3 to 6 months your eyesight will have reached its optimum benefit from the surgery. In many cases 20/20 vision is achieved, but some patients find they need reading glasses for close work.
Eye protection is especially important at this time, as the flap created in your cornea during surgery is now re-attaching as part of the body's natural healing process. Rubbing or touching the eyes at this time could cause the flap to become dislodged, interrupting the healing process.