Laser eye surgery Carlsbad CA
When a patient decides to have LASIK, it’s an investment in the future. If you decide to have LASIK, how long will it last? Should you plan for a “touch up” or a repeat procedure in the future?
The changes in the cornea are permanent
The short answer is that LASIK (and other similar types of laser eye surgery) cause permanent changes to the shape of the cornea. In that sense, patients can expect the results to last for the rest of their lives. Once you’ve had LASIK, you most likely won’t need another procedure in the future. Sometimes, a patient may have a second procedure to refine the results. In general, however, people only need to have LASIK once.
However, it’s important to realize that the shape of the cornea is not set until young adulthood. If a patient is too young when they have a laser eye procedure, then it’s more likely that changes in the cornea will continue to occur, altering the results of the procedure. This is why laser vision correction is not approved for anyone younger than age 18. Professionals generally recommend waiting until your prescription has been stable for at least a year before having your procedure. For most people, this will occur by the early 20s, though some people’s corneas continue to change until their mid 20s.
Age-related changes will still occur
Although the changes caused by the laser eye surgery are permanent, this doesn’t mean that the eye will never change. While the cornea generally remains stable as a person ages, the lens of the eye undergoes significant changes, which cause it to become more and more stiff. This causes difficulty in focusing on objects up close, because close vision requires the most shape change from the lens. Medically, this is known as presbyopia. Having laser vision correction changes the cornea, but it can’t stop the age-related changes of the lens. Presbyopia will still occur.
Presbyopia doesn’t change your overall visual acuity. Instead, it makes it more difficult for your eyes to change the distance of focus. This makes it harder to focus on nearby objects. If you’ve had a laser eye procedure, you will still experience this, but it’s treatable. Some patients choose to wear reading glasses, while others get intraocular lenses that have an extended depth of focus or are multifocal.
LASIK is an investment in your vision for life
If you choose LASIK or PRK, then you’re making an investment in your vision that’s expected to last for the rest of your life. If you’re considering having laser vision correction, please come for a consultation with one of our highly trained eye surgeons offering laser eye surgery Carlsbad CA. You’ll have the opportunity to learn about the different procedures available to you, and get advice about what would be best in your particular situation. One procedure could improve your vision for all of the years to come.
