Why LASIK is One of the Safest Surgeries in the World

“I wish I would have done it sooner.” We hear this from our patients all the time. But it is true for us as well. As LASIK  surgeons, we have both had refractive surgery, and even we didn’t realize how much life improved after LASIK, until we experienced it ourselves.

Every day, patients ask us about LASIK, some with added hesitancy — or even fear — of having surgery done in their eye. Our goal at Vance Thompson Vision is to address any and all concerns through patient-specific education and give our patients the tools, resources, and guidance they need to feel confident when making important decisions about vision correction.

At first glance, LASIK surgery might seem daunting. A closer look, however, will reveal that it’s one of the safest elective procedures available — benefiting millions of patients every year.

How do we know this? Besides treating tens of thousands of patients with LASIK, and hundreds of thousands of total eye surgeries, at Vance Thompson Vision we had a significant hand in shaping LASIK into what it is today; we were part of the FDA-monitored trial that built the foundation for the procedure. What is LASIK?

Before we dive into the more common concerns we hear from patients, it’s important to get the full picture of what exactly LASIK surgery is.

LASIK is a laser vision correction procedure designed to reduce or eliminate the use of glasses or contact lenses. Through the combined effort of our expert surgeons and advanced technology, our team uses a precise laser to gently reshape the eye’s cornea — the clear dome on the front of the eye. This allows for light rays to focus better on the retina — the light-sensitive layer of tissue that rests on the back of the eye.

The LASIK procedure goes as follows:

1. The surgeon creates a thin flap in the cornea using a femtosecond laser. The flap is lifted, and the surgeon proceeds to gently reshape the cornea with a highly focused beam of light produced by an excimer laser.
2. Once complete, the surgeon repositions and smoothes the flap, where it begins to heal.
3. The patient sees results almost immediately.

LASIK is performed in-office, and it only takes a few minutes per eye. Most patients are able to return to their daily routine within the next day.

Common Concerns and Expectations

An important thing to manage when considering vision correction surgery is expectations. Below are a list of common concerns that we hear from patients and how we respond to them:

“LASIK Is Painful”

Before surgery, we provide patients with numbing eye drops to not feel pain. The only thing they may feel is slight pressure on the eye during surgery. 

“What if I move my eye and screw it up?”

We use advanced eye-tracking systems to monitor movement and pause the laser if it moves too much.

“LASIK wears off”

The LASIK procedure maintains one of the highest safety and satisfaction rates among elective surgeries, and results in a permanent change to the corneal shape. Patients' eyes continue to age after LASIK and may require care down the road, but the cornea does not return to its former shape..

“Complications and Side Effects Are Common”

Serious complications are very rare, but temporary side effects such as dry eye are common, especially in the first few weeks following Lasik. These side effects are typically manageable and can be treated with topical medications like eye drops and improve with time.

Have No Fear. You’re in the Clear.

If you are hesitant about getting LASIK surgery, we understand. At Vance Thompson Vision, our team is here to help you understand the benefits, the process, and the risks. Thanks to years of research, we can confidently say that LASIK is one of the safest and most successful surgeries around. It’s surprisingly comfortable, you won’t mess it up, it doesn’t wear off, and as you heal we are here to manage anything that isn’t quite right. Want to know more about the benefits of LASIK? Contact us at (605) 361-3937 or visit our website to schedule your complimentary consultation today.