5 Reasons to Not Fear LASIK Surgery

For many people, the idea of living a life free from contact lenses and eyeglasses is little more than wishful thinking. Not because they are ineligible for LASIK, but because their own fear, anxiety, and uncertainty prevents them from pursuing their best vision.

While it is completely normal to experience apprehension regarding a surgical procedure, it is also unnecessary in the case of LASIK. LASIK is one of the most successful and safest surgical procedures performed in the United States and has improved the vision of millions of happy patients.

Sometimes, all we need to overcome our fears is a little knowledge, here are 5 reasons not to be afraid of a LASIK procedure.

1. Your Initial LASIK Consultation & Screening Will Ensure You’re a Good Fit

Screening techniques are extremely accurate. Making sure you are eligible for LASIK is a top priority and takes into consideration your medical history, current prescription, and other health/eye-related factors. An experienced ophthalmologist will not recommend a LASIK procedure if you are at risk of complication.  In fact at DLV Vision, half of our patients are turned down for LASIK and recommended to have another vision correction procedure or advised not to have surgery.  We only want to do surgery on the best LASIK candidates to insure the best outcomes.

Advanced diagnostic equipment is used to take corneal and pupil measurements to assess the anatomy of your eyes, if your ophthalmologist deems you an ideal candidate for LASIK, you can rest assured they have your best interests in mind.

2. LASIK is a Simple Procedure with a Speedy Recovery

During a LASIK procedure, general anesthesia is not needed. The entire process is so quick that your LASIK surgeon will only need to administer numbing eye drops and possibly medication if you’re unable to relax. The duration of the surgery is typically around 5 minutes per eye, after which you may return home to begin your recovery.

You may experience blurred or hazy vision immediately following your procedure but you should begin experiencing clearer vision within hours after surgery. Many patients report noticeably clear vision immediately following their treatment. Complete recovery typically takes a few weeks to a few months as everybody heals differently.

3. LASIK Patients Experience Only Minimal Discomfort

Likely one of the most common fears people have of a LASIK procedure; will it hurt? As the millions of patients who have already undergone the procedure can substantiate, little to no pain or discomfort is felt. Your eye is anesthetized with numbing drops and often the only discomfort experienced is mild irritation occurring after the procedure during the healing process for the first 4 to 6 hours.

Some patients are concerned by the fact that they will be awake during the surgery and fear that they may cause complications by moving or blinking. This is not a significant concern because not only do the numbing eye drops decrease your natural urge to blink, a lid separator prevents you from blinking, and eye tracking technology automatically monitors the position of your eye, allowing compensation of involuntary movement.

4. LASIK Has a High Success Rate & Patient Satisfaction

LASIK procedures have been in practice for almost 20 years in the United States and have been performed over 19 million times. LASIK remains one of the most popular surgeries in the world and its patient satisfaction rate is remarkably high, over 90% of patients achieve vision of 20/20 or better. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to experience significant vision loss during a lifetime of contact lens wear than from a LASIK procedure.

LASIK even meets the lofty demands of many high-level positions throughout the U.S. military, law enforcement agencies, and professional athletes. Technological advancements have made the procedure so precise and reliable that it can be used to ensure NASA astronauts have the needed visual acuity to perform their duties in space.

5. You Chose to Trust Your LASIK to An Extremely Skilled Surgeon

Though the technology behind a LASIK procedure is incredibly accurate and safe, the overall success of a given procedure also depends on the skill of the surgeon performing it. If you are considering a LASIK procedure, it is important you seek out a qualified refractive surgeon like the expert ophthalmologists found at Dougherty Laser Vision.

Dr. Paul Dougherty is among the most widely respected refractive surgeons both nationally and throughout the world and has performed tens of thousands of successful LASIK procedures. With precision and effectiveness, he and his skilled team can improve your sight beyond what you may have thought possible. To learn more about a LASIK procedure and whether or not you may be a candidate, please call or contact us online today!