Should I get Lasik?

Hmmm it depends!  That’s the best answer you should get from any doctor conducting a good exam on your eyes.  A definite No answer might mean the doctor hasn’t researched the option enough, a definite Yes might mean the doctor is your refractive surgeon and eager to take you on as a patient.  Here’s my advice.

If you’re under 18 years old, forget about it.  Your eyes are still in high flux and will continue to change as you continue to grow.  Once your body stops changing shape (think about height, weight, shoe size) then your eyes will become a bit more predictable.  I’m hoping I’m still getting taller! 

If you can’t seem to wear any contact lenses comfortably (allergy to contact or cleaning solutions) or even get them in your eye; you might be a good candidate.  If you’ve desired to rid yourself of glasses and can’t seem to do it, refractive surgery might be the answer.  Of course there are risk factors involved, including dry eyes years after surgery (new techniques are getting better at reducing this) and decreased best visual acuity (the glasses allowed better vision than surgery).  Those two are most common, but blindness is not even considered because it’s so rare.  Have the surgeon (talk to more than two) explain their expected results and then consider the cost and benefits.

You’re 40+ years old and want to replace your bifocal/progressive lenses with surgery.  I hesitate greatly here because the technology is just taking off for this sort of multifocal correction on the surface of the eye.  Meaning the laser would essentially be creating two point of focus for distance and near on a 10mm corneal surface.  If you haven’t tried contact lenses, I’d give that technology a try first to get an idea of the visual acuity.  It’s a tough surgery for the surgeons, but I have seen some success. 

You love your glasses and are comfortable with contact lenses as your secondary visual option.  Don’t do surgery, you might find yourself underwhelmed and in need of glasses within several years.  However keep in mind, those patients that have extreme corrections (can’t even walk around without their glasses) hardly care if they need to wear a mild prescription 10 years down the line.  So weigh out your pros and cons and decide if refractive surgery is a good match for you. 

See and Be Seen! at Eyed LA Optometry in Brentwood, West Los Angeles

www.eyedla.com