If you’re wondering whether LASIK surgery could help your eyesight, the news is generally good. In just a few months, you might no longer be wearing glasses or contact lenses. However, it is good to make as educated a decision as possible, so here is a look at whether LASIK is truly right for you.
Some People Are Better Candidates Than Others
LASIK might not be for you if you meet risk factors such as glaucoma, dry eyes or an eye disease. Your eye doctors and surgeons will evaluate your candidacy and let you know if there are any problematic issues. It is important to be honest about your medical history, for example, if you have any prior eye injuries. Non-eye conditions such as diabetes, fibromyalgia or an autoimmune disorder may also affect how well you are predicted to recover from surgery.
Lifestyle is another factor to consider. If you play a lot of sports, such as karate or boxing, that include contact to your face, LASIK might not be a good idea. Also, if your vision is sufficient that you don’t have to really wear glasses a lot, then you may not want to take on the risks of surgery.
It Is Safe
Don’t let the long name for LASIK scare you. Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis surgery is a mouthful, but it is a relatively safe surgery that, for most patients, leads to no long-term adverse effects. You are unlikely to experience complications such as vision loss, although you may encounter some more common side effects, such as dry eyes or seeing halos soon after your surgery.
Results tend to be best the milder your vision impairment is in the first place. If you have astigmatism as well, that is a potential complication but by no means a deal-breaker for excellent results.
It Is Not Always a Permanent Solution
If you’re looking to throw off your eyeglasses or contacts for life, LASIK may not do that. It does get most people to 20/25 or even 20/20 vision, but they undergo the same effects from aging as anyone else does. That is, you could still end up needing reading glasses at some point or glasses to drive at night.
By and large, though, you should be able to achieve a life without glasses.
The Price Tag Is Affordable
Many insurance companies do not cover the cost of a LASIK surgery. The procedure is considered elective, because approaches such as wearing eyeglasses and contact lenses “solve” the vision problem (unless you have an extremely specialized job, such as combat fighter).
Of course, wearing glasses or contact lenses might not be good enough for you, and you want to be able to see the clock immediately after you wake up, to see as clearly as possible underwater and to travel without hassle.
Fortunately, LASIK procedures can be affordable, with two eyes costing about $5,000. Costs can vary greatly depending on where you have the surgery, the number of blades and customization options. All that said, through a company such as Dental Save, you can get discounts on LASIK eye surgery 40 to 50 percent through the QualSight network. You make monthly payments to receive discounts on dental care, eye care and hearing care. Overall, these plans save more than what you pay. Also, if you have a health savings account, LASIK is an eligible expense.
For many people who wear glasses and contact lenses, LASIK could be beneficial. The surgery eliminates a lot of hassle and frees people to do things they were never able to before, such as scuba dive. The process is relatively inexpensive, with quick recovery times and minimal side effects. If you think medical issues could stop you from being a candidate, talk with your doctor anyway. You never know what could happen.