February 10, 2014
Laser eye surgery is quickly becoming a popular way to correct vision and help people get rid of their contacts and glasses. Lasers can correct near-sightedness, far-sightedness, and astigmatism, and help you see things like you’ve never seen them before. But many people wonder – is laser eye surgery permanent? Will it keep my vision great my entire life?
What it is
Laser eye surgery corrects your vision by changing the way light enters your eye. When you can’t see properly it is often due to the shape of your cornea being irregular. Your doctor corrects this by removing a small amount of tissue around the cornea to give it a round shape. There is no downtime as with traditional eye surgeries, and there is no surgery involved – just having the laser pointed at your eye(s).
Results
After the procedure, you will see just as well or better than you ever did with glasses or contacts. Vision is corrected because the eye is the correct shape, allowing light to enter properly. Although this shape will be permanent – the tissue cannot grow back – some people still experience vision problems later in life. Why?
As we age, our eyes age and degenerate as well. On our faces we see wrinkles, and we feel aches in our bodies more often – these are all signs of aging. However, developing near vision loss is a regular part of aging and is not related to the condition that was affecting your eyes before surgery.
Laser eye surgery is permanent and can keep your eyes seeing great for years! Although it cannot protect your eyes from eventual vision loss due to age, it can change the shape of your eyes and the way you see. Taking steps to protect your vision like visiting your eye doctor and eating well can help ward off vision loss later on.
