Sometimes when we say “I can’t afford LASIK” or “I’m probably not a good candidate for LASIK,” what we really mean is, “I’m afraid of LASIK.”
Not that those other points aren’t legitimate! Many people actually save a lot of money switching to LASIK from contacts, and there’s a lot of good information out there on whether or not you may be a candidate.
As for fear, that’s a perfectly reasonable emotional reaction to the thought of eye surgery. LASIK is a medical procedure, and so you want to give it all the same careful thought and consideration that you’d give any medical procedure.
To help you become more comfortable with this popular, we offer some helpful information below.
LASIK has helped a lot of people.
An estimated 20 to 25 million people around the world have had the procedure done. Today’s LASIK is also highly advanced. It uses technologies that create a 3-D map of your eye to prep for your procedure.
As for its effectiveness, in a clinical study, 94% of people saw with vision 20/20 or better six months after the procedure without the aid of contacts or glasses. Slightly more than that, 95% of patients were satisfied with the results of the procedure, according to a recent study.
So if you do decide to get LASIK, at least you know that there are a lot of satisfied customers.
Your nJoy doctor will take steps to help you with your fear.
Besides talking you through your expectations and concerns, your eye care specialist has a couple additional tools up their sleeve to make the procedure a bit more comfortable and a bit less scary.
For example, special numbing eye drops are administered before the procedure begins. Patients generally feel some pressure on their eye while it’s being prepped for correction, which usually lasts less than a minute.
Also, the LASIK machine can sense if your head or eyes involuntarily move, and it either shuts off or makes adjustments to automatically correct for your movements. So if your eyes moving inadvertently was a concern of yours, don’t panic. The procedure accounts for that.
This has helped some, but I’m still afraid.
That’s fair. It’s a medical procedure, and all medical procedures come with some degree of risk.
LASIK has some side effects, for example. Common ones include, but may not be limited to, dry eye or visual disturbances (like glare, halos or starbursts), reduction of vision or the possible need for glasses or contact lenses after surgery. In the majority of cases, common side effects can be managed with additional medical treatment or resolve on their own within three to six months, but it’s a consideration you will need to make.
Fortunately, you’re not on your own. Your doctor will discuss your expectations and concerns with you, and assist you through the LASIK screening process. And if you know someone who has had LASIK, ask them about their experience. You can also read what some of our real patients have had to say in their reviews.
I’m Ready To Take the Next Step
If you are ready to learn more about LASIK or some of the other corrective procedures we offer, please request a consultation or call us at (405) 842-6060 to get started.
This blog post was originally published in June 2016 and has been updated for 2024.
