10 LASIK Myths

There are many misconceptions that have gained some traction about LASIK surgery over the years. With the adoption of advanced technologies, like those used in iLASIK, many of the problems people mistakenly associate with LASIK surgery have been reduced or eliminated.

Here are the top 10 LASIK myths:

1. The effects of LASIK wear off after a couple years.

This is simply not true. The American Journal of Ophthalmology published a study in its January 2008 issue that showed very good long term results 10 years after LASIK. Regression was found to be a miniscule 0.1D per year, and best corrected vision was actually found to improve over time.

2. Laser Vision Correction is so new, that no one really knows if there are long term side effects.

The first LASIK procedure was performed in 1989 by Dr. Ioannas Pallikaris in Greece. Thousands of people have undergone LASIK surgery since then with no known long term side effects.

3. If you have large pupils, you can't have LASIK.

There is no proven relationship between pupil size and risk of nighttime vision side effects after undergoing LASIK treatment. Several studies have come out in recent years definitely rejecting the connection. The advancements in Wavefront LASIK technology have allowed for larger diameter laser ablations. This is especially appropriate for patients with larger pupils.

4. LASIK usually causes glare, halos, and night vision problems.

While this may have been the case in the very early days of LASIK, improvements in the technology have greatly reduced the chances of this happening. iLASIK (also known as All Laser LASIK or IntraLASIK) has taken the chances of having night vision problems from 5%-30% all the way down to .08%. In fact, recent studies have shown that modern All Laser Wavefront IntraLASIK is ten-times more likely to improve night vision rather than make it worse.

5. LASIK cannot treat the need for reading glasses.

The two vision focusing problems that cause people to need reading glasses are hyperopia (farsightedness) and presbyopia (aging of the lens inside the eye). Farsightedness is routinely treated with hyperopic LASIK which was first approved by the FDA in 1998. Presbyopia is commonly treated with LASIK during the monovision technique. After age 40, some patients may prefer wearing reading glasses for certain near tasks.

6. LASIK Hurts.

Most people usually cringe when thinking of eye surgery. This is understandable. However, most patients report their pain level as a '0' on a scale of 1-10. With the use of iLASIK, you won't even have to see a blade.

7. You shouldn't have LASIK until you're 30 years old.

The FDA approved LASIK for use in patients over the age of 21. The stability of one's prescription is more important than chronological age. During a consultation, we can determine whether your eyes are stable and ready for a procedure.

8. You shouldn't have LASIK if you are over 40 years old.

Roughly half of our patients are over the age of 40. The average age of our patients is 39. During a consultation we can explain how aging can affect near vision and how we can help remedy the problem.

9. LASIK cannot treat astigmatism

Over 85% of our LASIK patients have astigmatism. The FDA approved treating astigmatism with LASIK in 1997. Since then, technological advancements have greatly improved the results of astigmatism correction. Currently, treating regular astigmatism with LASIK is considered routine.

10. You can't ever wear contact lenses if you've had LASIK surgery.

It's extremely uncommon that you would need to wear contact lenses after LASIK. But if someone wants to fine tune his or her distance vision or wear colored cosmetic contact lenses, soft contact lenses or gas permeable lenses may be worn after LASIK.

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Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley
606 Saratoga Avenue
San Jose, California 95129

Laser Eye Center of the East Bay
5790 Stoneridge Mall Road
Pleasanton, California 94588