LASIK Risks & Benefits
One potential benefit of LASIK eye surgery is obvious: the ability to see without eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Not everyone who has LASIK surgery can completely eliminate the need for glasses or contacts. However, LASIK may reduce your dependence on these vision correction devices. If after surgery your prescription is not as strong, or you don't have to wear glasses/contacts all the time, you may consider that to be a benefit.
With the advent of custom LASIK, also known as wavefront LASIK, some laser manufacturers are touting another potential benefit: the ability to see better than you could have with glasses or contacts. In clinical studies, some custom LASIK patients were able to improve their visual acuity. This is not guaranteed, and you should talk with your eye doctor about your potential post-operative visual acuity.
Anyone considering this procedure should also be aware of the various LASIK risks and under which circumstances these risks can occur. There are a number of websites and media articles on this subject; we've linked to a few here:
- FDA website about LASIK
- Operation Auge details the risks, complications and benefits of LASIK
- Smart Money magazine article on refractive surgery
- LASIK Complications and the Internet: Is the public being misled?
- List of websites about personal experiences with LASIK
Need More LASIK Information?
For in-depth information on LASIK, please visit the Consumer Guide to Vision Surgery.