Sight is one of the five senses we use to understand and explore our surroundings. We need it to function and react, and when sight is compromised, issues begin to surface.
You cant read a book. You may not be able to distinguish one thing from another. You could even injure yourself, for example, if you missed seeing a stairstep.
Glasses and contacts are great options to improve vision as well as LASIK. The pros and cons of LASIK should be determined before electing to do it. It is a type of surgery after all.
If you are struggling with seeing clearly, LASIK surgery will help sharpen your vision.
Getting the 20/20 vision you have always desired can be done without having to rely on contacts or glasses.
Correcting Vision Problems
Our eyes work a lot like a camera in the sense it focuses light in order to make an image. Light is focused and bent to properly refract that image.
Vision problems happen when there is an issue with refracting that light. It will leave people unable to see things clearly that are close or far away from them. Images are less visible when the lens or cornea of the eye itself is distorted too.
Ordinarily, people used glasses and contacts to treat these eye problems. Now, there is another choice: LASIK surgery.
LASIK is able to improve sight directly by enhancing the focusing refractive power of your eye. In order to do this, corneal tissue is removed in a controlled, precise manner through the use of a special laser. The laser helps to reshape the cornea back to normal to fix the refractive error.
There are a few things to take into account with LASIK surgery. It is elective and so you should be prepared to pay for the surgery out-of-pocket. Vision may be blurry right after the surgery and you might feel drowsy from the lingering effects of medication. Ensure that you have an arranged trip back home afterward.
Pros and Cons of Lasik Surgery
Thoughts such as “is LASIK eye surgery a good idea?” come to mind for many people. As with any invasive surgery, there are risks you must weigh alongside the benefits.
Are there more pros than cons? Are you willing to accept the potential unwanted outcomes? Are the negatives associated with the surgery minor or deadly?
Building a list of the benefits of LASIK surgery and comparing it to a list of why you should not get the surgery will help decide if it’s the right choice.
Pros
- It is Simple and Fast: If downtime after surgery worries you because you can’t afford to miss work or other events, you can rest easy. Lasik is an outpatient surgery done at a doctor’s office while you’re awake. There is no trip to the hospital needed because it is less invasive. You can be in and out in as quick as 15-30 minutes. Believe it or not, most of that time is simply preparation.
- Quick Results: Most surgeries take several days to weeks to see results post-op, but not with LASIK. Most people notice a significant improvement in their vision right away.
- Say Goodbye to Contacts and Glasses: Perfect Vision without needing glasses or contacts anymore is often the main benefit for most people. The worry of application is gone which is especially helpful for those who forget to grab their glasses. Dry, itchy, or red eyes associated with wearing contacts can be ended for good too.
- Excellent Vision Recovery Rate: LASIK is meant to restore normal vision and it does this well. Over 90% of people who do the surgery no longer being near- or far-sighted. It has the same positive results for those who suffer from astigmatism.
Cons
- There Is a Chance of Eye Injury: You must be certain you want the surgery because there is no reversal once you do it. This is fine in the sense it improves vision, but it’s concerning when damage to the eye occurs.
- You May Require Lasik Later: While results are long-lasting, LASIK surgery is also by no means a permanent fix. The higher your prescription is before doing the surveys, the more you may notice a decline in vision as time passes. This is known as a condition called myopic regression.
- It’s Not Permanent: The older we get, the more changes we notice and our eyes are no exception. The shape of your eyes alters as you age and LASIK can’t prevent that. Older adults often develop presbyopia and, sooner or later, may have to start using reading glasses to see.
- Everyone is Not Qualified: If you want the surgery, it may either not work or do more harm than good to you. It should not be done of your cornea is uneven or thin or if you suffer from cataracts or glaucoma. It is not a good fit if you have an autoimmune disease or diabetes. Those under 18 and over 40 are not a good fit as well.
- Fully Understanding the Complications: While the surgery is minor, it still has its risk. You may experience unwanted vision changes. You may experience starburst or double vision, halo eyes, light sensitivity, or severe astigmatism. Dry eyes may occur for as long as three months after the surgery. These outcomes are greater for those who may already be experiencing these issues. The chances you can make an existing problem worse is possible.
Should You Undergo Lasik Surgery?
After taking a look at the pros and cons of LASIK, many people still decide to undergo surgery as the greater outcome outweighs the risks. In fact, less than 0.5% of people who completed the surgery wound up with serious complications.
It is perfect for those who no longer want to be inclined to wearing glasses or contacts. If you decide to get laser eye surgery, there are some important considerations to make beforehand. A wide variety of factors might influence your decision to get LASIK, not the least of which is that there is no pain associated with this procedure. Generally, people who have received LASIK surgery feel more confident in themselves and don’t worry about their appearance as much because they can see well.
Nonetheless, it is a case-by-case situation and should be thoroughly thought through. For some the risks are small and worth it, for others, it’s enough to decide against it.
