If you’ve ever scrolled back to the very beginning of my blog, you might have been slightly confused to see a very old blog post about my laser eye surgery. It was written back in 2008, long before this blog was created, and I added it to my blog afterwards so I could share my experience with others when the subject came up.
It’s now almost 16 years since I underwent LASIK eye surgery.
I had a strong prescription in both eyes, and was finding it increasingly uncomfortable to wear contact lenses, suffering frequent infections. I didn’t mind wearing glasses but sadly, were nice ones were expensive especially when I got the lenses slimmed down. I also found them inconvenient for exercising and found the glare when driving at night hard. I was also terrible at breaking them.
At the time, LASIK eye surgery cost around £4000 which was loads of money but I worked it out and after eight years I’d have broken even given the cost of lenses/glasses, and I’d have the freedom of perfect vision. Now I’ve had twice that long and can definitely say it was worth the money!
However, my friend Emma recently had to undergo an additional laser eye surgery procedure on her right eye after her sight had deteriorated, which made me wonder about the long term efficacy of LASIK – should I go back and get my eyes tested again? What are the chances that my eyes have deteriorated? Would I know?
Long term effects of LASIK Laser Eye Surgery
10 Years Post-LASIK
Research on patients who’ve undergone LASIK laser eye surgery shows that a significant majority of patients maintain excellent vision a decade after their LASIK surgery. Long term studies report that about 90% of patients achieve 20/20 vision or better, while around 99% attain 20/40 vision or better without glasses or contact lenses.
High levels of patient satisfaction persist a decade after undergoing LASIK surgery. Many individuals report improved quality of life due to reduced dependence on glasses/contact lenses. I can definitely agree with this one! After ten years (or indeed, after 16 like me!) it’s almost impossible to recall what life was like before the surgery. Swimming and exercising are made so much easier, as is travelling, and I’ve had far fewer eye infections since giving up on contact lenses.
20 Years Post-LASIK:
There are of course fewer patients in this group, however from the data available it’s reasonable to anticipate that a significant proportion of patients will maintain satisfactory to good vision two decades after LASIK surgery. I’m almost there myself, and think it can’t hurt to check my vision as some degree of regression or changes in vision may occur due to factors such as aging or natural variations in the cornea. I was warned about this before the surgery.
Despite the passage of time, high levels of patient satisfaction with LASIK surgery are expected to persist at the 20-year mark. Improved quality of life, enhanced convenience, and reduced reliance on lenses or glasses continue to be primary drivers of patient satisfaction.
Conclusion
In summary, LASIK surgery continues to demonstrate excellent long-term efficacy and safety for the majority of patients, even after two decades or more. Beyond this, there is little data as the procedures were not widespread. High levels of patient satisfaction persist, with the vast majority of people who’ve had LASIK laser eye surgery in the past enjoying much improved vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses.
While some individuals, like Emma, may experience minor visual changes or side effects over time, advancements in LASIK technology and surgical techniques have contributed to increasingly predictable outcomes and the vast majority of patients – including myself – would never look back!
If you’re on the fence about whether to opt for LASIK eye surgery, I would definitely recommend it!