Should You Get a Repeat LASIK Procedure?

Although the LASIK surgery is considered to be a permanent procedure, in some instances it becomes necessary to have follow-up work done to maintain your vision in the future, assuming that your cornea(s) are healthy. Specifically, some individuals have found that their vision has degraded in the months and years after their corrective procedure. Other people did not get the results from the original procedure that they hoped for and hope that the new surgery will be able to improve on the initial work. In addition, the hormonal fluctuations associated with pregnancy and menopause can cause dry eye, which can then lead to impaired vision, whether or not you have had LASIK surgery. Therefore, if you are not pleased with your vision after your first LASIK surgery, and additional surgical intervention has been suggested, it is a good idea to be aware of the following information. 

Understanding Why New Work Is Necessary 

As mentioned above, even permanent procedures such as the LASIK surgery may not always remain constant, given the impact of aging on a person's eyes. As a result, a small number of people have reported that after years of enjoying perfect or almost perfect vision, a disruption of that ability manifests. Unfortunately, that happens in a way that coincides with the speed that you might have expected vision abnormalities or degradation to occur over the years if you had not had the procedure. 

Another reason to need follow-up work has been seen when the first procedure was not entirely successful or if the surgery resulted in unfortunate side effects, like seeing halos or the development of chronic dry eyes. The hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and during the change of life are known to cause dry eye, which can exacerbate your vision changes. Therefore, although the majority of LASIK recipients are happy with their vision in the months and years after getting their surgery, a small number of patients are not. Once you understand that you are not alone in your discontent, becoming familiar with how the new procedure will be done is likely to be quite helpful.       

Knowing What to Expect With the Follow-up Work

It is important to note that you should not expect to receive any new work on your eyes until at least 90 days or so after the first procedure. That time period will allow your eyes to recover from the procedure, so you and the surgeon can both be sure that the side effects are permanent or the results are less than what you hoped for. 

Since your first LASIK procedure was done by reshaping your cornea, the second procedure will be less invasive. It is done by gently raising the flap of the cornea that was created from the first surgery before providing the new laser treatment to the affected area.      

In the years after a LASIK procedure, you may find that your vision diminishes a bit. If your eye doctor has suggested an additional procedure to perfect your vision once again, being aware of the above facts will help you to make the most appropriate choice for your needs and expectations. For more information, talk to an eye doctor like those at Country Hills Eye Center.