LASIK is a laser vision correction surgery that allows for clearer vision because it can correct the microscopic visual imperfections associated with myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. There are many questions you might have about LASIK, one of the most important being the question of whether you’ll need glasses after LASIK.
This question has different answers depending on your age, your current prescription, and your family history with glasses, but the vast majority of people that have LASIK do not need to wear glasses after LASIK surgery.
Let’s look at the determining factors that answer the question of whether you will need glasses after LASIK surgery:
How Old Are You?
As you age, your eye muscles naturally lose some of their elasticity and strength which results in a progressively decreasing ability to focus on objects up close. Presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness, is a very normal and natural part of aging, and often is easily solved with the use of reading glasses or a specialized LASIK surgery called monovision.
If you are under 40 years old, LASIK is not going to cause presbyopia, meaning that you won’t need glasses for near vision if you have LASIK. Because of your youthful age, you should be able to see clearly up close after laser vision correction without reading glasses,
If you are over age 40, then you will likely need reading glasses to correct presbyopia unless you have monovision LASIK surgery. Even if you have had LASIK in the past with excellent near vision without the need for reading glasses, near vision will naturally continue to become weaker with age. These reading glasses won’t be needed all the time, especially early on in this aging process unless you need to see tiny objects clearly that are held very close to your eyes.
Age-related presbyopia is normal and very manageable. Our eye care experts at LASIK of Nevada can help you control your age-related presbyopia post-LASIK, so schedule a consultation today.
What Was Your Prescription Prior to LASIK?
Blurry vision is from the mismatch between how strong your cornea is and the length of your actual eye. LASIK corrects this by removing a tiny amount of tissue from the cornea in a very specific and customized pattern to restore or create the correct shape for your individual eye to produce clearer vision.
If you have a smaller prescription (meaning that your eyesight is not too blurry without corrective lenses) and a stable prescription for approximately 12 months, then you are likely a good candidate for LASIK.
Certain prescriptions (like very high astigmatism or farsightedness) prior to the LASIK surgery could mean that you are more likely to have a small residual prescription after your LASIK procedure that can be corrected with much thinner glasses, much lower power contacts, or a second LASIK surgery. LASIK often corrects myopia, allowing for objects far away to be clearer. Regardless of the particular prescription that you have before LASIK, it is likely that when you reach a certain age (usually between 40 and 50) you will need glasses to see up close unless you have a specialized form of LASIK surgery designed specifically for providing both near and far vision.
Do Your Parents Wear Glasses?
Bad vision in your family doesn’t necessarily mean that you will also have bad eyesight, but it can increase your likelihood of needing glasses after a LASIK procedure.
After you get LASIK, your vision will be clearer and sharper than it was before, even if there is history of poor vision in your family. As you get older, you may find that your vision becomes less clear which can be natural for your particular family history. LASIK does not slow or change the aging process in the eye, but the goal of the surgery is to fully correct the prescription that you have at the time of your surgery.
So, Will I Need Glasses After LASIK or Not?
The majority of people who undergo LASIK surgery do not need glasses following their procedure. LASIK corrects the vision by reshaping the cornea with a specialized laser and these changes are permanent in the vast majority (96 to 99%) of our patients.
As you get older, the natural near vision changes of the eye are completely normal and expected. If you are over 40 years old, you may notice things up close becoming blurry even if you have had LASIK previously. This is when you should schedule an eye exam to see if reading glasses are necessary to improve your up-close vision.
In short, you will not need distance glasses after your LASIK surgery in the vast majority of cases. You will only need reading glasses at the same (or approximately the same) age that you would have needed them if you did not have LASIK surgery.
Talk to the Experts at LASIK of Nevada
When you come to LASIK of Nevada, you can rest assured that you are getting the most experienced and specialized LASIK team in Nevada. Dr. Richard Rothman has performed over 50,000 laser vision correction surgeries and has spent the last 14 years perfecting his LASIK skills, to provide you with the best LASIK experience in Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, and Carson City.
With carefully selected laser technology personally chosen by Dr. Rothman, he and his staff offer an unparalleled experience for you with your laser eye surgery. From LASIK to PRK to tear function procedures, the professionals at LASIK of Nevada are ready to personalize your LASIK surgery experience just for you.
Schedule your consultation with the LASIK of Nevada team and get all your questions about LASIK answered.