7 Things to Know About LASIK Eye Surgery

While glasses and contact lenses can work with just about any style, sometimes less is more. You might be tired of relying on vision aids, whether because you find them cumbersome or feel they clash with your sense of style.

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If you’d love to toss your glasses and contacts in a drawer and leave them there, another option for better vision is a procedure called LASIK. Going this route can be life-changing if you don’t want vision aids. But how much do you know about the LASIK eye surgery option and what it offers patients? So you can decide whether or not it's the right option for you, continue reading to see seven things to know about LASIK.

1. LASIK is Quick and Virtually Pain-Free

It's important to know that the LASIK eye surgery procedure is relatively painless. Depending on the surgeon performing it, the procedure can take 10 to 15 minutes per eye. Surgeons use numbing eye drops to safeguard against pain, so the majority of patients will feel very little pressure for a couple of seconds. If the thought of extreme discomfort has you feeling squeamish, rest assured that LASIK is pretty much pain-free.

2. Results Are Almost Instant

Another thing you should know is that the results after LASIK surgery are almost immediate. In other words, many people who get LASIK notice better vision within a few hours -- with further improvements materializing in the days and weeks afterward. So, if you don’t want to wait too long to see noticeable results, LASIK makes sense since there's a quick payoff.

3. It’s a Permanent Solution

LASIK offers permanent results. If you’re thinking about the procedure but worry about having to get it redone at different intervals to maintain the results, think again. The procedure offers permanent vision correction, meaning you likely won't have to return to glasses or contact lenses down the road. The only possible exception is if you experience age-related vision issues, such aspresbyopia, as you get older.

4. Recovery is Pretty Quick

If you have things to do, places to go, and people to see, the idea of undergoing surgery requiring ample downtime might be unappealing. But you won't have to worry about a long downtime if you get LASIK. Many people resume their normal daily activities, including work, within a day or two after the eye correction procedure. Even so, it can take several weeks to enjoy complete vision stabilization. You'll be fine if you follow your surgeon's recommendations.

5. Most Patients Are Happy With the Results

The vast majority of LASIK patients are happy they got the procedure. It gives them a new lease on life when they can enjoy normal vision without needing glasses or contact lenses.

6. There May Be Temporary Side Effects

While the post-surgery results are overwhelmingly positive, with most patients happy they went through with it, that doesn't mean there won’t be some temporary side effects.Glare, halos, and night vision issues can occur after LASIK, but these side effects are temporary and will typically go away over time.

7. You May Need to Adhere to a Post-Surgery Regimen

After the surgery, you might have to adhere to some protocols for however long your surgeon recommends. For instance, things like robust exercise and swimming might have to be avoided for a while, and you might have to use eye drops.

If you decide that LASIK is something to look into further, contact your doctor and ask for a referral. It’s a good idea to find aLASIK surgeon with plenty of experience helping people in your shoes. While the success rate for the procedure is high, it’s still worthwhile to get the surgery done by a medical professional with a long track record of doing it successfully.