The Long-Term Benefits of LASIK

Many LASIK patients are concerned about the longevity of the surgery’s results. While improved vision is immediate, in the distant future patients may still be subject to the natural deterioration of vision associated with aging. Nevertheless, results from a recently completed study on former LASIK patients are promising.

The study surveyed 200 patients with myopic astigmatism or regular myopia (also known as nearsightedness). One hundred of the eyes were corrected using LASIK surgery, while the other hundred eyes were corrected using PRK (photorefractive keratectomy). Statistics were collected on the patients for ten years. The researchers measured negative changes in vision and each eye’s ability to focus. The results showed that the vision improvement yielded by both procedures did not deteriorate significantly long-term. After ten years, the average patient still demonstrated at least 20/25 vision.
The study was designed to produce reliable statistics on the long-term benefits and safety of the two popular eye surgery procedures (LASIK and PRK). The results of this ten-year study were then presented to both the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Asian Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology in November of 2006.

These results mean that potential LASIK patients can rest easy that their investment is not shortsighted.