ClearSight LASIK Answers: Is LASIK Permanent?

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma -

Oklahoma City, OK based ClearSight LASIK has released an article that explores how long LASIK can be expected to last. According to the clinic, there are certain misconceptions regarding the procedure, and their team wishes to make sure their community accurately understands both the benefits and limitations of undergoing LASIK. Find the article here: Is LASIK Permanent.

Briefly put, patients can approach what LASIK does to the eyes as being permanent. However, the clinic says there is more context that they should be aware of. The article says, “Many patients want to know if LASIK eye surgery will get rid of their vision problems and their need for corrective lenses or contact lenses forever. There is not a definite yes or no answer to this question. Following LASIK eye surgery, the changes made to the cornea remain permanently. However, there is a very good chance that additional eye surgery, the most common one being cataract surgery, will be necessary later in life. Cataracts are like wrinkles, an inevitable reality of celebrating enough birthdays! A cataract is the development of cloudiness of the native lens of the eye. Due to sun exposure, aging changes and many other factors, everyone will develop them eventually.”

In a minority of cases LASIK patients may need to undergo a secondary LASIK procedure within the following year to improve the changes implemented in the first. Over time as a person’s eyes change, the chances of needing another treatment slowly increases. ClearSight LASIK adds that LASIK is by no means a universal solution that handles every issue in the eye, and other types of procedures or treatments may be required if separate conditions arise. However, the clinic does note that the vast majority of these other conditions are unrelated to the patient’s LASIK history.

It is for this reason that the clinic further reminds their community to keep scheduling regular check-ups with their eye doctor following a LASIK procedure. Even given the fact that LASIK is known to be extremely successful and safe, a patient may potentially miss other conditions due to the assumption that this one procedure has settled all their vision problems. It is always best for them to keep getting their eyes examined; this will ensure they catch new, unrelated issues early enough for treatment to have the best effect.

Patients who undergo LASIK should further be aware that the procedure will not make them immune to the simple effects of aging. While LASIK makes permanent alterations to how the eye is shaped, medical and age-related issues may lead to other types of degradation as time goes on. For instance, a patient who comes to need reading glasses in their mid-40s will still have benefited greatly from the LASIK procedure they underwent at 18.

The article says, “Everyone experiences presbyopia - the need for reading glasses or bifocals as they age. When the internal lens of the eye loses its capacity to naturally focus up close, this transformation has taken place. Whether or not someone has had LASIK, this shift happens gradually. Additionally, the surgery is unable to stop an eye disease like glaucoma, macular degeneration or cataracts from impairing vision.”

It continues, “As people approach their 40s and beyond, individuals with presbyopia and even early cataracts often discover that they must wear glasses for reading or driving at night. These patients can usually be treated with lens replacement, or in some cases, an enhancement LASIK surgery.”

All in all, this means that LASIK can provide a permanent change to a person’s eyes that offers patients decades of freedom from reading glasses and other temporary eye correction options. However, LASIK cannot prevent a patient’s eyes from aging or experiencing a number of other conditions, so its beneficial effects will gradually become muted over the years. Fortunately, the team at ClearSight LASIK is accustomed to restoring their patients’ vision to perfection, and their advice can help ensure all benefits can be enjoyed for as long as possible.

ClearSight LASIK offers more details on the LASIK procedure on their website, but any interested party may contact the clinic directly to schedule an appointment and have an expert determine whether they are a good candidate. Should they wish to proceed, they can rest assured that their vision and eye health are in the best of hands.