For most patients, LASIK provides permanent vision correction, allowing them to see clearly at all distances without needing glasses or contact lenses. While the results of LASIK are usually long-lasting, a person’s eyesight can change after the procedure due to unrelated conditions, impacting the results.
There are several potential causes of vision changes after LASIK. Keep reading to learn more about LASIK and the possible reasons your vision might change after the procedure.
What is LASIK?
LASIK, or Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, is a laser procedure that can effectively correct common refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Performed on hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. annually, it is an incredibly popular procedure that has helped millions enjoy clearer vision.
LASIK offers impressive results, with the majority of patients reporting 20/20 vision or better. It’s also very convenient; LASIK is a quick outpatient procedure, and most people can resume their normal activities within days.
How Does LASIK Improve Vision?
LASIK improves vision by correcting refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. Refractive errors occur when the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing correctly on the retina, the structure within the eye that converts light into images.
During the procedure, your LASIK surgeon uses a femtosecond laser to create a small flap on the epithelium, or surface, of the cornea. The flap is carefully pulled back to allow access to the cornea’s middle layer, the stroma.
They then use an excimer laser to reshape tissue in the stroma to refract light directly onto the retina. Once your refractive errors have been corrected, the corneal flap is gently placed back over the stroma and will heal on its own as the eye recovers.
LASIK takes about ten minutes per eye to complete. You can have a friend or loved one drive you home afterward to begin recovery.
Are the Results of LASIK Permanent?
For most people, the results of LASIK are long-lasting. However, temporary or permanent changes to your vision can affect the results.
Here are some of the reasons why your vision might change after LASIK:
Presbyopia
The most common cause of vision changes after LASIK is presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness, which occurs as your eyes age and the lens of the eye becomes less flexible. If you have had LASIK and start developing presbyopia, you may need glasses again to see clearly up close or in low light.
You can also choose to undergo refractive lens exchange (RLE), another vision correction procedure that involves removing the natural lens and replacing it with an intraocular lens (IOL). There are many different IOLs that you can choose from that all offer different vision correction benefits.
If you elect to undergo refractive lens exchange, you also won’t need to worry about vision changes from cataracts, as they cannot form on an IOL.
Cataracts
Like presbyopia, many people develop cataracts as they age. Cataracts occur when deteriorating proteins start to cloud the naturally clear lens of the eye, impairing vision.
However, cataract surgery can remove your cataracts and restore clear vision. In a nearly identical procedure to refractive lens exchange, cataract surgery involves replacing the natural lens of the eye with an IOL.
Pregnancy
Hormonal changes during pregnancy can affect the vision of patients who have had LASIK before becoming pregnant. However, these changes are temporary for most patients, and clear vision typically returns shortly after the pregnancy.
Eye Conditions
LASIK does not prevent the development of other eye conditions that have the potential to impair your vision. Conditions like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and keratoconus can affect clear vision and result in vision loss.
The best way to prevent vision loss from these conditions is to attend routine eye exams with your ophthalmologist at Batra Vision Medical Group. They will perform comprehensive screenings to look for early signs of eye conditions and may recommend treatment options like medications, laser treatments, or surgery to prevent further vision loss.
Underlying Health Conditions
Certain underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and high blood pressure, can affect eye health and the outcome of LASIK. For instance, having diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can result in significant vision loss.
Batra Vision Medical Group offers advanced treatments to help prevent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy, including vitrectomy and laser photocoagulation.
Achieve Your Dream Eyesight with LASIK
For most people, LASIK results in long-lasting clear vision without the need for glasses and contacts. The procedure can improve your life in many ways, including giving you more visual freedom, eliminating the recurring costs of visual aids, and allowing you to experience all of life’s best moments in gorgeous clarity.
Age-related eye conditions or the effects of underlying health conditions have the potential to affect these results, but most patients enjoy clear, high-definition vision for decades.
Do you want to learn more about achieving long-lasting, clear vision with LASIK? Schedule an appointment at Batra Vision Medical Group in San Leandro, CA, today to find out whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure!
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