New Vision for the New Year: LASIK Results

If you are considering whether it is finally time for a LASIK procedure, you may be wondering about the results possible. In general, LASIK improves vision and reduces dependency on corrective eyewear (glasses and contact lenses).

Of all LASIK patients, about 56 percent will experience 20/20 vision after the procedure. More than 90 percent of all LASIK patients will experience 20/40 vision or better; however, these results can change under certain circumstances. The quality of your LASIK results will also depend on your specific vision disorder.

Most studies show people with low to moderate nearsightedness (myopia) achieve better LASIK results more often than people with high levels of nearsightedness. Many of these people have 20/40 vision without glasses or contacts, and find that they do not need corrective eyewear. Some studies show similar results between high and low levels of farsightedness.

In general, you should plan to use corrective eyewear after LASIK for some activities. People who are prepared for less-than-perfect results from LASIK are less likely to be dissatisfied after the procedure. You may be more satisfied with LASIK results if you think of the goal of the procedure as improving your uncorrected vision, not necessarily achieving 20/20 vision.

To find out more about what you can expect from LASIK, please contact an experienced LASIK surgeon in your area.