Top 10 LASIK Myths

Don't Let These Common Misconceptions Keep You from Enjoying Life with Better Vision

 

1. LASIK is an unaffordable luxury.

Fact: LASIK is an investment that will likely save you a ton of money over the years. An insurance industry study conducted in 2007 found that lens wearers will spend up to $12,000 over a 10 year period by the time you account for exams, new prescriptions, new frames, new contacts, solutions and replacements. The costs keep mounting, and yet you are still burdened with the enormous inconvenience of it all.

With affordable payment plans as low as $58 per month, why not invest the money you are already spending on lenses in LASIK and free up the savings for something more fun?

 

2. Having LASIK takes a lot of time and effort.

Fact: If you schedule your surgery on Friday afternoon, you’ll only be out of work for a half day. Enjoy your first weekend free of lenses and show off the new you Monday at work!

 

3. LASIK is too new and long-term results are unknown.

Fact: Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris of Greece performed the first LASIK procedure in 1990, so we’re now over 30 years into the LASIK era and over 35 million people have had the procedure. The long-term results are now well known and excellent. Our practice brought the first vision correction laser to Scottsdale in 1996, so we too have a long-standing track record of success.

 

4. LASIK patients have poor night vision.

Fact: In the early years of LASIK, night time vision disturbances such as glare and halos were a common side effect. Today, with Custom Wavefront technology, such issues are far less common. Yes, a few people still notice glare or halos, even with Custom Wavefront, but the level of concern almost never rises beyond a casual observation.

 

5. LASIK doesn’t treat astigmatism.

Fact: LASIK has easily treated astigmatism since the late 1990’s, and its not uncommon for astigmatism patients who have LASIK to see better than they did with glasses or contacts, especially when Custom Wavefront technology is utilized.

Though some centers present astigmatism as a huge ordeal so they can use it as an excuse to charge you a much higher fee (the “$299” corporate chain centers are common culprits), in reality, treating astigmatism simply requires a few extra seconds to enter the amount into the laser’s computer. That’s why our prices are the same with or without astigmatism. We’re confident you will get a great result either way!

 

6. I’m too old for LASIK.

Fact: As long as your eyes are otherwise healthy, there is no upper age limit for LASIK, and we perform LASIK (or more commonly PRK) on patients well into their 70’s and 80’s. In fact, one of our happiest patients ever was a delightful 78 year-old gentleman whose new girlfriend prefered his look without glasses!

 

7. Contact lenses are safer than LASIK.

Fact: In 2006, researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University published an article in the American Medical Association's peer-reviewed journal, Archives of Ophthalmology, that estimated the number of LASIK patients who lose more than 2 lines of vision on the eye chart at 1 in 10,000. However, they also found that the lifetime risk of vision loss from contact lens wear is 5x higher at 1 in 2000, due to the frequent occurrence of contact lens related infections, so there is indeed a very sound argument that LASIK is safer than long-term contact lens wear.

 

8. I should wait for advances in technology.

Fact: All of the major advances, including eye trackers, Custom Wavefront laser treatments and thinner, safer flap makers, have already been realized and no significant improvements are currently planned. There has truly never been a better time to have LASIK.

 

9. Most LASIK surgeons are still wearing glasses.

Fact: LASIK surgeons undergo laser vision correction at three times the rate of the general population.

At Q Vision, Dr. Q has undergone PRK, while his wife and only brother had LASIK. As pristine vision is an absolute necessity for microsurgery, you can rest assured that he had tremendous confidence in the safety and effectiveness of his procedure.

 

10. It doesn’t matter who does your surgery because the laser does all the work.

Fact: This may be the biggest myth of all. There are a tremendous number of tests to interpret, measurements to fine-tune and laser treatment design decisions to make in order to achieve stellar results - and the laser machine doesn’t do any of it. Your surgeon does.

Ultimately, all medical care is dependent upon the individuals who deliver it, so even if you don’t choose Q Vision, make it your goal to find a reputable surgeon that you can trust to take good care of you.