What To Expect From LASIK Results: How Long Does It Last?

If you’re considering getting LASIK in Phoenix, one of the top factors to think about are the LASIK results you can expect. Many patients are quickly won over by all of the LASIK benefits that getting laser eye surgery can provide, but they wonder if there’s some sort of a catch. Specifically, will the results last? Keep reading to find out the answer.

Put simply, LASIK does indeed last. When LASIK surgery is performed, it reshapes the cornea, which is permanent and can improve your vision quality for years. As such, it is considered a permanent form of vision correction.

What confuses people sometimes is that they may need an additional form of vision correction years later, after they’ve already had LASIK. This isn’t because the LASIK didn’t last; it just means their eyes have changed again. LASIK will correct whatever your current prescription is at the time of the surgery, but it cannot predict your eye’s future changes or somehow prevent them from changing again.

The 10 Year Myth

There’s a misconception floating around that LASIK “wears off” after 10 years. This probably stems from the fact that, as we just covered, eyes and vision do change over time so it’s possible your vision won’t be quite so clear 10 years after your surgery. But, there’s no hard and fast rule that everyone who has LASIK will need to get their vision fixed again in 10 years or any other specific period of time.

Here are some stats from the American Refractive Surgery Council to put this in perspective. “With modern LASIK, the enhancement rate is 1%-2% percent in the first 12 months and then about 1% a year after that as patients’ eyes can change with time. So, for example, 10 years after LASIK, approximately 10 percent of patients may require an enhancement procedure to maintain their excellent vision.”

Future Vision Care

LASIK benefits are far-reaching and very valuable. Given this and its permanence, the vast majority of patients feel it’s an incredibly worthwhile procedure. If your vision does change over time, you can always consider getting a LASIK enhancement at that time. More commonly, patients might need to get some reading glasses to use as needed once they’re over the age of 40 as their near-sighted vision decreases.

Either way, LASIK is a safe and effective way to fix vision problems. Interested in getting LASIK in Phoenix? Schedule your consultation today!