Have you been thinking about getting LASIK? Are you trying to figure out what information about LASIK is fact or fiction?
Like with anything, there are true things and false things. Not everything you read online about LASIK is going to be true!
LASIK is one of the most common eye procedures that patients undergo. But there are a lot of things that people don’t know about it.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the potential facts and fiction about LASIK!
Fiction: Anyone can get LASIK
Fact: Not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK.
The FDA has guidelines for who qualifies for LASIK and who does not.
First of all, you must be at least 18 years old to be able to get LASIK. Other factors taken into consideration include corneal thickness, your health, other eye conditions, if you’re currently pregnant, and if you have any autoimmune conditions.
These are only some of the factors that make up LASIK candidacy, so it’s important to have a LASIK consultation to find out.
Fiction: LASIK is a new surgical procedure
Fact: While a lot of people think LASIK is a brand new procedure, it was actually approved by the FDA in the early 1990s.
But as technology develops, surgical procedures develop as well.
The LASIK procedure of today is not the same one that was FDA approved in the nineties. LASIK had more updates that were approved in the early 2000s.
Some of the additional developments included bladeless LASIK and CustomVue technology. These developments have been around for almost two decades.
Fiction: You can be too old for LASIK
Fact: There is no maximum age limit for patients that can get LASIK, but you must be at least 18 years old to undergo LASIK.
Although you can’t be too old for LASIK, it is uncommon for people in their seventies and eighties to get LASIK.
Fiction: LAISK is a painful procedure
Fact: LASIK should not be a painful procedure because you receive numbing eye drops.
Before your surgery starts, you will have a few drops of an anesthetic eye drop put in your eyes to numb them.
During your LASIK eye surgery, the only thing that might be uncomfortable is pressure on your eye. This should not be painful, it should only feel like there is a finger pressing on your eye.
This mild discomfort lasts a few seconds at most and then it’s over.
Fiction: LASIK can make you go blind
Fact: While any surgical procedure can have complications, going blind is not a common one.
Serious complications from LASIK are very rare.
The technology used during LASIK is so precise that complications are extremely uncommon. During your LASIK consultation, your eye doctor will review all potential risks with you.
They will also confirm if you are a good candidate for LASIK or not.
Fiction: You’ll need glasses or contacts after LASIK
Fact: When you get LASIK, you will not need glasses or contacts for many years.
But LASIK does not prevent vision changes due to aging.
As you get older, you might need glasses to drive at night or to read. No matter what age you are or if you have had LASIK, you need to get regular eye exams to keep your eyes healthy.
Even if you’ve had LASIK, it’s still likely that you’ll develop cataracts later on and may need cataract surgery.
Do you think that it is time to get LASIK? Schedule your LASIK consultation at Stahl Eyecare Experts in Hauppauge, NY today!
