Posted by: LaserVue LASIK & Cataract Center in Category: LASIK
Question: Is It True That Lower Prescriptions Have Better Results with Lasik?
I had Lasik about a year ago and have had almost no complications and been overall happy with the result. But I’ve been surfing the web and what I found worried me, terrible reviews and regrets about having the procedure done. I had a low prescription and did it mainly because contacts really bothered me and hated the way I looked with glasses. Is it true that you have better results with lower prescriptions like mine? Or will I suffer regression and chronic dry eyes in the future?
Answer:
LASIK eye surgery treats myopia (near-sightedness) by flattening the cornea which causes the light to focus correctly onto the retina. The laser flattens the cornea by evaporating corneal tissue thereby thinning the cornea.
The higher the near-sighted prescription, the more the cornea must be flattened and the more corneal tissue is required. This results in more corneal tissue being required for higher prescriptions than for lower prescriptions. As a result, lower prescriptions are more predictable and have less side effects after having LASIK surgery.
Of course, higher prescriptions have much more to gain from LASIK surgery. People with high prescriptions often cannot function effectively without glasses or contact lenses. They are more likely to overwear their contact lenses and are at a much greater disadvantage if their glasses are lost or broken.
Overall, LASIK has a very high rating of satisfaction. Even people who are not completely satisfied with LASIK most often report that they would still have the procedure done if given the choice over again.
