While the effects of LASIK surgery are permanent, the benefits can decrease over time. For most patients, the results of this surgery will last a lifetime. About 10-12% of patients nationwide will need an enhancement surgery because of anatomical changes to the eye/eyes.
It is a very persistent myth, people think that LASIK is not permanent and that it may only last a few years. The reality is, that LASIK permanently corrects the vision prescription – your nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism – that you come in with to have the procedure.
Most people experience some degree of astigmatism after LASIK surgery. This is because the eye is still healing and adjusting to its new shape. Astigmatism after LASIK typically improves within the first few months after surgery, but it may take up to a year for the full effects to be seen.
The short answer is: yes! LASIK surgery is considered one of the best ways of permanently and effectively treating astigmatism.
The average age for LASIK has historically been from the mid-30s up. We know that when patients return unhappy with their vision about 10 years after a LASIK procedure, the chief suspects are presbyopia and cataract. So the answer is: “It's almost always the lens, not the LASIK.”
As we mentioned above, the laser makes permanent changes to the shape of the cornea. This cannot be reversed; however, sometimes vision can continue to change as a person ages. In this case, you may notice changes to your vision over the years even if you've undergone Lasik surgery.
So what prescription is too high for LASIK? Many eye doctors will set their limits to +6 for farsightedness, -12 for nearsightedness, and 6 diopters for astigmatism. But there are other factors that can make some patients good for LASIK while others are disqualified from the procedure.
Is it possible to have LASIK surgery twice? The short answer is yes, though this is usually only done 5 – 10 years after the initial treatment. However, rest assured that LASIK offers long-term vision correction, and very few people require a second session.
The result is blurry vision. People with astigmatism may experience mild to severe distorted vision, depending on the degree of astigmatism. While myopia (nearsightedness) makes far-away objects blurry and hyperopia (farsightedness) makes close-up objects blurry, astigmatism makes things blurry at every distance.
Most people still see the effects of their LASIK forever. However, some may need to have enhancement LASIK surgery after 10 years. The reason for this can vary depending on the age when getting LASIK and vision health.
That said, it's rare that the LASIK procedure itself or complications from the surgery caused the astigmatism. If your original prescription had high amounts of astigmatism, it's possible that you have some residual prescription left over in that eye (astigmatism and myopia).
LASIK: 25-40
Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate.
Astigmatism is linked to genetics
Mom and Dad can be to blame for your football-shaped corneas.
Astigmatism happens when your cornea or lens has a different shape than normal. The shape makes light bend differently as it enters your eye, causing a refractive error. Doctors don't know what causes astigmatism, and there's no way to prevent it.
Astigmatism frequently worsens with age. Your cornea can become more irregular due to pressure from your eyelids as they lose muscle tone. Astigmatism generally stays stable until your turn 50. After then, your lens curvature progressively worsens each decade.
When it comes to correcting astigmatism, the first line of defense, surgically speaking, is LASIK. This is because LASIK is effective for a wide variety of patients and offers the quickest recovery time.
Whether or not you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery can only be determined through our in-depth consultation with one of our LASIK surgeons. However, please know that just because you are over 40 years old does not mean that you are not a candidate for LASIK.
The percentage of necessary touch-ups has shrunk as LASIK technology has been refined. However, 1-2 percent of patients will need an enhancement within the first year, and 10 percent may need an enhancement within the first decade.
Mild Astigmatism <1.00 diopters. Moderate Astigmatism 1.00 to 2.00 diopters. High Astigmatism 2.00 to 4.00 diopters. Extreme Astigmatism > 4.00 diopters.
The average price of LASIK in the U.S. is around $4,200 for both eyes. Even if your doctor recommends LASIK as a good treatment for your astigmatism, you may still want to consider the cost. LASIK surgery is one of the most expensive procedures to treat astigmatism.
In general, most people who have laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery achieve 20/20 vision or better, which works well for most activities. But most people still eventually need glasses for driving at night or reading as they get older.
If you develop blurry vision 2 years, 5 years, or 10 years after surgery, your eyes have likely changed with age. Visit your doctor for a comprehensive eye exam to rule out issues like glaucoma and cataracts. If your eyes are healthy, you may have age-related nearsightedness LASIK can't prevent or treat.
While the majority of people who undergo LASIK treatment will not need glasses after surgery, some individuals may still require glasses for optimum vision. LASIK also does not protect against age-related vision changes, so it's likely you may eventually need reading glasses.
One of the biggest causes of vision changes after laser eye surgery is presbyopia. This is an age-related condition that occurs as the lens in the eye stiffens and hardens. This makes it more difficult for the eye to focus on items that are up close.
The prevalence of astigmatism was 20.5% in the autism group, 17.9% in the Asperger syndrome group, 20.3% in the PDD-NOS group, and 21.1% in the group of other disorders.