Three Things You Must Know Before You Consider Laser Eye Surgery

Have you lived with eyeglasses or contact lenses for years?

Maybe you are considering laser eye surgery?

But, for some reason, you don't feel ready?

Laser eye surgery is certainly an increasingly popular solution, with over a million procedures typically carried out in the USA every year. We all know more and more people who are taking the option – and most say it is the best decision they ever made.

What's holding you back? There are a lot of myths about laser vision correction too, which may be putting you off. Let me bust three of the biggest myths for you right now.

Myth #1 – You Must Have a Flap Made on Your Eye

Many patients who inquire about laser vision correction are only aware of LASIK. That's the two-step procedure, which does involve lifting a thin flap from the surface of your eye. Most patients are OK with this, as they have friends or family members who underwent LASIK and benefited from the rapid and comfortable recovery that a flap based procedure provides.

However, I occasionally encounter patients who experience anxiety and fear over the flap making step.

The good news is that, for several years, there has been a flapless technique called PRK, which involves no cutting of the surface of the eye. PRK works by delivering the laser treatment directly onto the surface of the cornea. Today, the improvement you can expect in your vision is equally good with PRK as with the traditional surgical LASIK procedure. In fact, in a landmark military study, PRK actually produced slightly better vision than LASIK.

I am a professional vision correction surgeon. When the time came for me to receive treatment on my eyes, I chose flapless PRK. I recovered nicely within a few days and I can tell you the results are perfect.

If you are interested in learning more about PRK vs. LASIK, simply schedule a consultation with me and I will go over the advantages of each option with you and recommend the solution that best meets your individual needs.

Myth #2 – You Can't Have Laser Vision Correction After Cataract Surgery

It is true that, in the past, cataract surgery patients often were stuck with glasses after surgery.

However, we've found that laser vision correction is a great way to “tune-up” the vision after cataract surgery and reduce or sometimes even eliminate the need for eyeglasses afterward.

Even if you had cataract surgery many years ago, you may still qualify for surgery. And, in case your wondering, there's no upper age limit, as long as your eyes remain otherwise healthy.

Myth #3 – Premium Quality Laser Eye Surgery is Not Affordable

High-quality laser vision correction treatment is not cheap – and when it comes to something as precious as your vision, it should not be cheap.

It is possible to find offers for LASIK treatment at under $1000 per eye, but these should be approached with extreme caution. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. You may discover hidden costs or non-refundable deposits, out-of-date procedures, or inadequate care.

The advice I always give anyone considering laser eye surgery is that there are some areas of life where it pays to go cheap, but your vision is not one of those. Find a surgeon you can trust, who uses the latest equipment and procedures, and who has an impeccable track record. You will pay more for the best surgeons, but you can usually spread the cost over time, which gives you the choice of the best treatments – in a way you can afford.

At my specialist eye surgery centers in Arizona, we have always offered our laser eye surgery patients a 0% interest repayment program over 24 months.

Recently, we've added another enticing program that brings the minimum monthly payment down to an incredibly affordable $58, with a low 9.9% interest rate.

If you have any questions about laser vision correction, available treatments, or payment options, please contact our team by calling us today at 480.661.1600 or simply book your free, no-obligation consultation online right now.

About the Author

Tariq Qamar MD is the Medical Director of Q Vision in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and Board-Certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. His Arizona-based practice brought the first vision correction laser to Scottsdale in 1996 and today provides patients with a full spectrum of advanced vision correction options, including Custom Wavefront LASIK and PRK.