When nearsightedness, also known as near vision, you can only see items up close. Light rays improperly bend and refract due to the eye’s curvature.
Although typical refractive defects like near vision can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or both, LASIK is also a successful, long-term fix.
Nearsightedness and LASIK Treatment
Due to a refractive fault in one or both of their eyes, a nearsighted person can see objects up close but struggle to see things farther away. If you have a refractive defect, your eye’s shape prohibits light rays from properly bending (refracting). To rectify the refractive error, LASIK is performed.
Two lasers are utilised during the LASIK operation to first make a flap on the eye’s surface and then reshape the cornea to address the problem causing nearsightedness.
When it comes to addressing nearsightedness, LASIK is mainly successful. Nearsightedness can be successfully treated by LASIK, with a success rate of over 90% achieving 20/20 vision, 99% getting 20/40 vision, and 96% reporting satisfaction with their eyesight.
How Effective Is Lasik for Nearsightedness?
The short-term effectiveness of LASIK in reducing mild to moderate nearsightedness has been demonstrated (myopia). Almost everyone feels like their vision has improved. However, not everybody has perfect 20/20 eyesight.
Studies found that for patients with myopia of fewer than six ix diopters, roughly:
- Of 100 people, 67 to 72 had 20/20 eyesight or superior.
- Out of 100, 95 to 96 had eye; that was at least 20/40.
Following surgery, studies found that for those with nearsightedness between 6 and 12 diopters, roughly:
- Out of 100 people, 48 to 64 had 20/20 eyesight or superior.
- Out of 100, 89 to 94 had a vision of at least 20/40.
The method is still being improved, and researchers are looking at the long-term results.
Correcting Nearsightedness with LASIK
Myopia, or nearsightedness, usually results from an excessively long eyeball. This issue starts in childhood and worsens until growth ends in early adulthood. When growth slows down, so does the need for vision correction. One possibility for those with a regular prescription like this is to consider laser-assisted in situ keratomileuses (LASIK).
A tiny flap in the cornea is made during LASIK surgery and folded back, allowing a laser to access the eye’s deeper corneal tissue. When some of that tissue is removed, the eye becomes slightly narrower, which enables light to focus on the back of the eye in the best way possible. The flap is restored once the appropriate amount of tissue has been removed.
In many different ways, surgeons might alter this fundamental procedure. For instance, some surgeons remove tissue from one eye to improve that eye’s ability to see clearly at a distance. The opposite eye is designed to operate closely. This monovision, which can be highly useful, enables visual acuity at practically all distances.
Can Nearsightedness Be Fixed With LASIK?
With standard LASIK, both eyes are adjusted for distance, enabling people with nearsightedness to see objects in space without constantly needing to wear contacts or glasses. In a study on the effectiveness of this procedure, published in the Journal of Refractive Surgery, researchers discovered that four years after having LASIK, 100% of patients achieved 20/25 vision without needing glasses or contacts. This fantastic outcome shows that some nearsighted patients may find this operation beneficial.
However, the severity of nearsightedness does affect the outcome of surgery. The volume of tissue that needs to be cut out from the eyes of people with very high levels of nearsightedness may be significant for them to see clearly, and with time, their prescription levels may regress. Low nearsightedness, people typically do not have these issues.
For instance, in a study that appeared in the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, researchers looked at results in patients with high myopia (prescriptions of around -3.98 diopters) and moderate to low nearsightedness (prescriptions of about -7.64 diopters). 13 years later, in a follow-up, 64.8% of the eyes in the low myopia group were within 0.5 diopters of the attempted correction. In contrast, only 37.3% of the eyes in the high myopia group saw the same benefit.
Such studies highlight the significance of screening before surgery. Surgery professionals take that very seriously.
What to Expect After Nearsightedness Lasik Surgery?
LASIK surgery is an outpatient one. It is carried out in a same-day surgical facility or a surgeon’s office under local anaesthetic. It takes between 10 and 15 minutes to operate on one eye. The entire process, including preparation, post-operative care, and paperwork, typically takes less than two hours.
Following surgery, you can cover your eye with a patch or contact lens and be given a prescription for painkillers. Home and the doctor’s office the following day must belong to someone. The surgeon will inspect your eye on this second visit and give you eyedrops to reduce irritation and prevent infection. It is necessary to go for more follow-up appointments, usually the following week and the first year following surgery.
- On the day of surgery, you’ll have irritation and scratchiness in the eye. Your eyes may be quite watery.
- Pain levels usually are pretty modest during recovery. You might resume your regular activities in a few days.
- Although familiar, symptoms of dry eyes are typically transient.
- Your vision may be cloudy or fuzzy for a few days or weeks following surgery, and you might need to wear an eye cover.
- Delay driving until your vision is clean.
Life Following LASIK
How long does LASIK eye surgery recovery take?
A generally short and painless surgery, LASIK can be used to treat nearsightedness. Patients receive numbing eye drops so they won’t feel anything while the treatment is being conducted, and the surgery usually only lasts approximately 30 minutes.
How long do LASIK results last?
LASIK permanently corrects the issue you’re trying to address, whether it’s astigmatism, farsightedness, or nearsightedness. That doesn’t mean that your vision won’t change over time.
Conclusion
After reading this article, you can now tell if you qualify for Lasik for nearsightedness. The explanations listed below in this article should dispel any questions you may have concerning Lasik surgery for nearsightedness.
