To the general public, LASIK is seen as either being a really nifty, 21st century, technology-savvy procedure, or it’s seen as a form of torture. It seems like half the population thinks “I would definitely try that,” and the rest say “you couldn’t pay me to do that.”
For as terrifying as LASIK can sound to people, it’s actually a relatively safe procedure that has incredible results — more than 90 percent of patients reach 20/20 vision or higher. Our eye doctors from Bayside Eye Center are here to explain some of the reasons why you should consider LASIK. Learn more from Dr. Lang and Dr. Cottone, and schedule a consultation with Bayside Eye Center in Punta Gorda today!
You’re tired of wearing glasses or contacts.
This is the most common reason why people consider getting LASIK. Glasses can be a hassle, contacts can be quite irritating, and even though they both enhance our vision, they also get in our way. While it does take a little time to recover fully from LASIK — it can take up to six months for vision to improve completely — you’ll be set for a long time without having to rely on glasses or contacts. If waking up in the morning and instantly being able to see clearly interests you, if you’re sick of dried out eyes or water spots on your specs after a rainstorm, LASIK would be an excellent long-term solution.
You want to save money.
People can spend several hundred dollars a year on contacts. In five years time as a contacts wearer, you could be out a few thousand, solely from buying contacts and solution. Glasses might seem cheaper, but they’re still costly — a brand new pair of specs costs hundreds of dollars (if you’re getting new frames). Upgrading your glasses every few years (or more frequently if your prescription changes) adds up just as quickly.
The upfront costs for LASIK are pricey, but ultimately can be more cost-effective in the long run. There’s a solid chance that you could actually save money by switching to LASIK at the right time.
You’re a good candidate for LASIK.
If you’re a healthy adult — children under 18 can’t get LASIK — with a pretty steady eye prescription that hasn’t changed in the past year, you might be an ideal candidate for LASIK. In full transparency, people with fluctuating hormones (such as from pregnancy or from diabetes), an inconsistent prescription, certain diseases, a career or strong passion in contact sports, or people who take various medications will likely not have LASIK recommended to them.
No matter what, an eye doctor will be the one to look at your medical history and determine whether LASIK would be beneficial. Even if you’re not sure you’d qualify for LASIK, it’s well worth the visit to the eye clinic — especially if you’re interested in LASIK.
You’re looking for a faster solution for improved vision.
Patients can begin experiencing benefits from LASIK within the first 24 hours. This is a painless procedure, with very little downtime involved. You could get back to your normal routine within a day or two, and the results are long lasting — in some instances, your improved vision could even be permanent. This means fewer trips to the eye doctor (after the first six months), as well as less waiting for your glasses and contacts prescriptions to come through in the years to come.
The initial procedure and time waiting for results to take full effect can take a bit of time, but again, this is all upfront. In future months and years, you won’t have to spend nearly as much time keeping up with your vision.
If you’re interested in LASIK, our eye doctors would love to tell you more! And if you’re curious but also scared at the thought of trying LASIK, we’d still love to meet with you! At Bayside Eye Center, you can trust that we will work with you and your personal comfort level.
The eye doctor shouldn’t be scary, and neither should LASIK. At Bayside Eye Center, we do everything we can to keep your health and comfort as a top priority. Schedule an eye exam or a LASIK consultation with our eye clinic in Punta Gorda!
