Can I Get Rid of My Glasses After LASIK?

Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a laser vision correction surgery in Los Angeles, CA that can improve a patient’s vision. At Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley, we offer LASIK surgery that reshapes the tissue in the front of the eye. As you age, your vision may become blurry after your LASIK surgery. Ultimately, the time you have clear vision without needing corrective lenses after surgery depends on your age at surgery and your medical history of progressive eye conditions.

What is LASIK?

When light hits your cornea, the outer layer of the eye bends so it can properly focus on the retina. This refraction doesn’t always occur correctly, which leads to blurry vision and other refractive errors.

LASIK eye surgery can correct three refractive errors:

Astigmatism: This is caused by an imperfect shape in the front of your eye.
Nearsightedness (myopia): This occurs when your vision is sharp when looking at something close but is blurry for things far away.
Farsightedness (hyperopia): Your vision is great for objects far away but blurry for anything close.

With LASIK in Los Angeles, CA, our doctors want to correct a patient’s vision so they no longer need glasses or contacts to see. However, this isn’t always possible.

Who is the best candidate for LASIK?

During a LASIK evaluation, our experienced ophthalmologists examine a patient’s eyes to determine if they are a candidate for LASIK surgery. A good candidate is someone 18 years of age or older who has an adequate amount of corneal thickness. This is important as it is what is changed during this laser vision correction surgery at Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley.

Can LASIK eliminate the need for reading glasses?

LASIK does correct vision and remove corneal imperfections, which is what helps improve your vision. However, your eyes can change over time, but your vision should never go back to as bad as it was before surgery. Presbyopia occurs when your cornea loses its ability to focus on things that are close. This begins as early as age 40 and usually requires reading glasses.

What to expect after LASIK

After LASIK, your vision can fluctuate for up to six months. You may have dry eyes, trouble driving at night, or experience glare or halos around light. While your vision will dramatically improve with LASIK, you may not have perfect 20/20 vision. Many of our patients achieve 20/30 or 20/40 vision, which is enough to see things far away and close up as well.

Some patients at our Encino or West Hills, CA offices do still require vision correction. However, contact lenses cannot be worn until at least six months after surgery as your cornea is still healing. It can be hard to fit someone for contact lenses after LASIK surgery as their corneal thickness has changed. Generally, a low prescription of glasses works well for anyone still experiencing an ongoing refractive error after surgery.

Learn more about how LASIK improves vision

At Ophthalmology Associates of the Valley, we offer LASIK surgery to patients experiencing refractive errors in Los Angeles, CA. During a LASIK evaluation, we can determine if you are a good candidate for surgery. To learn more about LASIK and if you will need glasses after LASIK, call our Encino or West Hills, CA office to schedule an appointment for an eye evaluation today.