Lasik
What The Odds of 20/20 Vision
LASIK eye surgery can greatly improve one’s
vision, and it some cases LASIK eye surgery results in perfect
vision. However patients of LASIK surgeries have various results
and not everyone leaves the office with perfect vision. The statistics
collected on LASIK eye surgery results indicate that the odds
that you’ll see 20/20 after LASIK are not as great as many
LASIK eye surgery facilities claim. There are a lot of myths surrounding
what you can expect from LASIK, and sometimes LASIK patients have
unrealistic expectations going into the surgery. Unfortunately
there is no ‘LASIK’ results database; some of the
surgery result statistics are based on differing criteria, but
at least the information collected can help potential patients
to gain a better picture about what to results to expect.
Recently the American Association of Professional
Eyecare Specialists, (AAPECS), has reported their statistics on
LASIK surgery. The results concluded that 55.3 percent of LASIK
patients obtained 20/20 or better vision after LASIK surgery,
and 92.6 percent of patients obtained 20/40 or better vision after
LASIK surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), provides
LASIK result statistics on LASIK lasers but not on the surgeries
themselves. According to the FDA the laser with the most improved
results was the Bausch & Lomb Technolas 217 Scanning spot
laser, with a success result rate of 87.3 percent for 20/20 vision
and a 99.7 percent success rate of achieving 20/40 or better vision.
The lowest FDA success laser was the Nidek Scanning slit laser
with a success result rate of 47.4 percent for 20/20 vision, and
an 84.4 percent success rate of achieving 20/40 or better vision.
LASIK success statistics can sometimes come out
skewed depending on how the statistics were evaluated. For example,
some lasers and surgeries are used for correcting severe myopias
and astigmatism while others are used to correct low to moderate
myopias and astigmatism. Generally LASIK patients who have a high
degree of myopia and astigmatism have a lower success rate. Additionally,
the definition of successful LASIK surgery can differ. Some statistic
results define success as 20/40 or better vision, while other
statistic results define success as 20/20 or better vision.
On the whole, it is generally agreed that patients
who undergo LASIK have an average 88 percent chance of obtaining
20/40 or better vision; this is the level of visual acuity that
is needed in order to drive without contact lenses or glasses
in most states. It is also generally agreed that LASIK patients
have an average 54% chance of obtaining 20/20 or better vision.
It is important to note that the chances of achieving 20/20 vision
vary among individuals. Patients who have extremely thin corneas,
severe myopias and astigmatisms, or who have had previous eye
surgery do not generally have the average success possibilities
of obtaining 20/20 vision.
While LASIK success rates can help you to determine
how effective LASIK surgery may be, it is important to talk with
your ophthalmologist about your own individual chances of achieving
20/20 vision.
