At Mann Eye Institute, we love to talk about LASIK. Truthfully, it’s one of our favorite things to talk about! LASIK has been so life-changing for so many people that, frankly, we want the whole world to know about it!
When we meet with people at their LASIK consultation, we hear many of the same questions and misconceptions. So we thought it might be fun to go over a few of the top myths here. And to debunk them! After all, knowledge is power, right? And we want you to be armed with all the knowledge (and power💪) you need to make the life-changing decision to step into the visual freedom this procedure offers.
Let’s do this.
LASIK takes weeks to recover from.
Nope. Nope and NOPE. The majority of our patients report improved vision within 24 hours of their surgery! It’s not an exaggeration to say that some sit up from the table in the surgical suite and can see well enough to read the clock on the wall on the other side of the room! Most are able to return to work and many normal activities the very next day. We do ask that you avoid strenuous exercise or swimming for a week while your eyes heal completely, but outside of that, there isn’t much you can’t get right back to enjoying after LASIK.
Remember that everyone is different; you will have a follow-up appointment at Mann Eye Institute the day after your procedure for a quick post-op check. Any issues or questions you have will be addressed at that time.
During LASIK, your eye is cut into.
How scary! Thankfully, this is not true. Some people mistakenly think LASIK involves cutting the eye, fixing the vision and then stitching the eye back closed. Here’s the reality.
A tiny opening is created on only the very outer surface of your eye (called the cornea) using a femtosecond laser – no blades! Next, an excimer laser gently reshapes the cornea based on custom mapping created at your consultation. Finally, the tiny incision is gently closed. And without any bandages or stitches, it naturally self-seals. Most people are back to work the next day.
Again, no cutting, no stitches. Modern laser vision correction is a marvel!
You have to hold your own eyes open during the procedure and can mess it up if you blink.
Again, scary! If this were true, we’d understand why people were hesitant to have LASIK. Thankfully, this is one myth we can easily debunk! Any possible blinking is prevented by an instrument called a lid speculum, which gently holds back your upper and lower eyelids. It will be put into place after you receive your numbing drops (which also decrease the sensation to blink).
People with astigmatism or really high prescriptions can’t get LASIK.
Okay, back in the early days of LASIK, this one was kind of true. But LASIK has come a long way, in 20+ years! Today’s advanced LASIK technology has made it possible for LASIK to safely correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Curious if LASIK is right for you? Take our LASIK SELF-TEST
Thanks to all the advances and refinements in technique and technology, chances are very good that someone who was told they were not a good candidate a few years back will be an ideal candidate today. If it is determined that LASIK is not right for you, we have other vision correcting options like Refractive Lens Exchange and PRK that can help you enjoy improved vision with reduced dependency on glasses and contacts. So, it’s always worth coming in for a free consultation.
LASIK wears off over time.
This is another common misconception. No, LASIK does not (and cannot) wear off over time. The procedure creates a permanent change to the cornea, so the treatment will not fade over time. It’s impossible.
But, as the eye ages, vision problems that are unrelated to the corneal surface can still occur whether you have LASIK or don’t, namely presbyopia (over-40 vision) and cataracts. When we assess your vision at Mann Eye Institute, we will determine which of our many advanced vision-correcting procedures is right for you in order to offer you the most long-lasting results.
LASIK costs more than glasses and contacts.
Sure, LASIK costs more than a single pair of glasses or a box of contacts. But when you consider how much you spend (and would spend in the future) on glasses, contacts, contact supplies, backup glasses and eye exams, most people find that LASIK pays for itself in about three years! Our LASIK savings calculator can help you find your personal break-even point.
LASIK SAVINGS CALCULATOR
Beyond that, at Mann Eye, we believe clear vision should be within everyone’s reach. We work hard to make LASIK affordable for just about any budget. With our Guaranteed Approval Financing,
we’d love to help you see how visual freedom could be a possibility for you!
You can’t have LASIK when you’re older.
This final myth is one we’re excited to talk about. At Mann Eye, we are proud to offer a version of LASIK we call Blended Vision (or monovision) that is very often a great solution for people who are dealing with presbyopia, the over-40 vision we mentioned above.
With this blended vision approach, one eye is corrected for distance vision, and one eye is corrected for near vision (reading vision). Your amazingly complex brain figures it out, and your eyes work together seamlessly so that you enjoy improved vision at all distances. People who feel like they are slaves to their reading glasses love this amazing procedure!
We recently performed blended vision LASIK on best-selling Austin author, podcaster and influencer Jen Hatmaker, and you can read about her results here.
See Life Better with the Vision You Deserve
We hope you’re feeling more informed and confident about moving forward into the visual freedom LASIK offers! Want even more information? We’d be happy to send you our digital LASIK brochure.
At Mann Eye Institute, our team of expert surgeons is dedicated to helping you See Life Better. Book a 100% FREE, no-obligation consultation with us today and, together, we can discuss and assess your specific needs.