Pros and Cons of LASIK: Are the Risks Worth the Cost?

LASIK eye surgery is a high-tech, effective and comfortable way to restore visual functions in myopia, farsightedness, and astigmatism, which has been successfully used by ophthalmologists all over the world for decades. This operation is affordable, very popular, and in demand. This can help you restore perfect vision, and get rid of glasses and contact lenses.

However, even though the technology of laser vision correction has been around for a long time, people still treat it with suspicion. Concerns about safety and effectiveness are usually since patients are not familiar with this technique and often confuse it with conventional surgery.

We believe that before deciding to take such a step, each patient needs to weigh the pros and cons, familiarize himself with the possible risks and be sure to consult with a specialist.

Advantages of Laser Vision Correction

Why do so many people still prefer laser correction to glasses and lenses? Patients who have undergone surgery make many arguments in favor of this procedure.

• Speed 

Any laser vision correction procedure lasts less than 10 minutes for both eyes.

All manipulations, including preparation, the operation itself, and postoperative rest, take no more than one and a half hours. Normal vision returns immediately after surgery. The patient then goes home on his own. In the first hours, discomfort in the eyes and discomfort, tearing and slight fogging are possible, but all this usually disappears after 3-4 hours, and vision becomes clear.

• Painlessness

Thanks to anesthetic drops, the patient does not experience pain and discomfort during laser correction. However, it is important to remember that any operation is stressful, so discomfort can occur on an emotional level.

• Efficiency

The operation allows you to completely restore vision or significantly improve its acuity. in most cases, the laser completely corrects defects caused by astigmatism, myopia, and farsightedness.

• Safety

Statistically, the risk of infecting the eyes when wearing contact lenses is much higher than when performing laser correction.

• LASIK cost

Affordable price Today, laser vision correction is a very affordable and popular operation. Of course, it’s not as cheap as going to the supermarket, but ordering regular contact lenses for a few years or buying glasses with expensive frames will almost certainly cost the same.

• Minimum restrictions after the procedure

Vision recovers quickly (by comparison, recovery after PRK eye surgery takes longer – up to 7 days), so there is no need to take a vacation or several days off from work. Doctors usually recommend limiting visual activity for 1-3 days and physical activity for 10-14 days.

Contraindications and Restrictions

There are several contraindications that exclude the possibility of such an operation: various eye diseases, as well as systemic diseases such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, etc. Laser vision correction is not performed for lactating and pregnant women.

In addition, laser correction is undesirable for children under 18 years of age, and adults over 45 years of age (but in some cases, according to indications, the operation is performed up to 65 years). In all cases, the decision to operate is made by the LASIK surgeon individually.

Discomfort After Surgery

After the procedure, some patients complain of a double image, poor night vision, and dry eye syndrome. Such unpleasant sensations appear extremely rarely and, as a rule, disappear in the first few days after the operation. The doctor warns about this in advance at the reception before the operation.

In other cases, these sensations are not associated with laser exposure, but with the relative contraindications that the patient has. In such a situation, the doctor warns the patient in advance about the possible risks.

Immediately after vision correction, patients sometimes feel slight discomfort: burning, itching, tearing, and dryness. Such sensations disappear within a few hours after LASIK and persist for several days after PRK. Do not be afraid of this – the ophthalmologist will prescribe drops that make up for the lack of tears and relieve unpleasant symptoms.

Thus, it can be concluded that laser surgery is one of the best ways to improve vision. It may fall after surgery, but not much. Laser surgery is one of the cheapest and fastest ways, so be sure to consider this option when you decide to improve your eyesight.