We get this question quite a bit, and recently, read that there are a ton of people googling whether LASIK wears off, and if so, how long until it starts to wear off.
When we hear this question– we have learned that what patients are really asking is “Will I have to wear glasses again”? This is a valid question.
Although valid, the answer is not an easy one as it depends on age, genetics and so many other factors.
To try to make it as simple as possible – let’s share Sally’s story.
Sally has LASIK at 26 years old. She is nearsighted, so she has trouble seeing far away; is a great candidate and has her procedure (Sally becomes glasses-free)! This “lasts” up until Sally turns 46 when she starts to notice that she can’t see up close when she is reading a menu at a restaurant. This is what we call presbyopia, and it usually develops in our mid to late 40’s. Presbyopia is a normal part of aging, just like getting pesky gray hairs or wrinkles. This is completely UNRELATED to the LASIK procedure that Sally had at 26. Since Sally is older, her eye muscles are losing elasticity, thus we now introduce reading glasses.
So, Sally had LASIK which helped her achieve glasses-free vision for distance from the age of 26 to 46. That’s two decades of enjoying glasses-free vision! AMAZING! However, as time continues, she gets older and now needs reading glasses for up close tasks such as reading her phone or reading a book.
Essentially, the LASIK did not ‘wear off’ for her distance vision though. Sally can still see street signs while driving, she can watch TV or a movie. She is still enjoying the benefits of her LASIK procedure. The readers she is now wearing, when needed, are happening completely outside of LASIK.
You may ask what are my options for vision correction surgery to eliminate readers when I reach my mid 40’s? Great question! You can inquire about RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange) to achieve glasses-free vision. Ask your eye doctor about RLE!
As Sally approaches her late 60’s, she may start to notice blurry vision at all distances (close, middle range, and far away) and that things are not crisp and that items have lost a bit of color. Some patients describe this as looking through dirty glasses. Sally may be developing what is called a cataract; again, something completely unrelated to her LASIK surgery at 26 years old. Cataracts develop due to age, and exposure to UV light.
In this example we follow Sally through life, and it is clear LASIK was the best option for her that has lasted FORTY years! As she considers her options for cataract surgery she will choose an implant that will allow her to be glasses-free again!
When we do the math, we agree… 40 years of great distance vision is worth the investment, but what do you think? We would love to hear from you – please write us at info@visiontexas.com or call us at 713-626-5544 to inquire about an appointment with our LASIK specialists today.
Invest in your vision and give yourself the gift of ‘glasses free’ sight before summer gets here!
