4 Common Myths about LASIK

Female having an eye measurement performed

Please note that the below information is intended to be observed as guidelines, and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor with any questions you may have regarding LASIK or a medical condition.

As the most commonly performed eye surgery in the U.S. to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism, thousands of people have LASIK each year. And yet, many people still have reservations concerning how safe and effective the procedure is.

We get it. Having any kind of procedure can be an intimidating, frightening ordeal.
But LASIK has been proven to be one of the safest, most effective forms of vision correction. Though it’s up to you and your eye doctor to determine whether or not LASIK is right for you, allow us to put your mind at ease by debunking 4 popular myths about LASIK.

4 Common Myths about LASIK

1. Physicians would not have LASIK on their own eyes.

You may have heard a rumor floating around that eye doctors would never have LASIK on their own eyes. This is flatly untrue. In fact, LASIK surgeons are actually more likely to have laser vision correction compared to the general population.

2. Contact lenses are safer than LASIK.

Though contact lenses are often assumed to be safer than LASIK due to the fact that they don’t require surgery, the risk of significant vision loss is about 5 times higher with extended contact lens wear than with LASIK.

This is due to the fact that so many contact lens wearers do not wear their lenses safely, which puts them at risk for infection and at times, complete vision loss.

3. LASIK significantly increases the risk of glare/halo.

Though there are rare cases where a patient might temporarily experience nighttime glare or “halos” around light at night, these symptoms are almost always gone in 3-6 months time.

A study of pilots who land on aircraft carriers at night even found that 88% of pilots said their night vision was better after LASIK than before surgery with glasses.

4. Dry eye is extremely common after LASIK.

Again, though some patients experience temporary symptoms of dry eye after LASIK surgery, these symptoms are typically gone within 6 months time.

In two studies conducted by the FDA, only 3% of patients reported moderate dry eye at 3 months, and 23% reported mild dry eye. These symptoms were frequently resolved within 6 months of their procedure.

Interested in LASIK?

If you’re considering LASIK, we encourage you to talk with your doctor today to discuss whether or not you may be a candidate for the procedure.

If you’d like to learn more about why Medical Eye Center is the leading provider of LASIK in Southern Oregon, click here.

Curious whether or not LASIK is right for you? Take our free online self-evaluation!

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