Is Laser Eye Treatment Permanent?

When considering laser eye treatment, one thing most patients want to know is how long the effects of the surgery will last. Is this laser procedure permanent? The effects of laser eye surgery are, in fact, permanent. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:

1) Laser eye surgery should not be performed on children or teenagers. Their eyes are still developing, and will continue to develop and change after the surgery. You should also not have this treatment if your eye prescriptions have changed in the past year, as your eyesight is not stable and may continue to change after the surgery.

2) Our eyes naturally change as we get older. Don't be surprised if you still need reading glasses as you age, even if you didn't need them after the treatment. When you are planning your laser eye treatment, you can choose to have one eye adjusted for distance and one for closer objects, which may eliminate the need for reading glasses later in life.

3) You may need corrections after the first treatment. Not all eye surgeries result in perfect or near-perfect vision. You may still need glasses, if only for reading or driving. You may also elect to have a second laser eye surgery procedure to further correct your vision.

4) The full effects of the surgery may not be apparent for up to six months after the procedure. Many patients experience improved vision immediately after the surgery, but it can take a while for all side effects to disappear. Typically, your vision will stabilize within the first week or two, but it may continue to change over the first couple of months following treatment. During that period, you may experience sensitivity to light or halos around bright lights, amongst other minor side effects. Don't be too quick to judge the results of your procedure; the vision you have the day after the procedure may not be your permanent vision, although it should not get worse as your eyes heal.

About 90 percent of laser eye treatment patients achieve legal driving vision after the surgery, and do not need glasses. The results of laser surgery for your eyes is permanent, and have proven to be stable over time. After laser eye treatments, the vision you have a year after the procedure is your permanent vision, although it could still change as your eyes age.

Mathew Dawson is the author of the Laser Eye Treatment Guide, an essential resource if you are considering laser eye treatments. Discover more about this revolutionary vision correction procedure and make sure you understand: Is laser eye treatment permanent?