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6 Myths About LASIK

Even though LASIK has been successfully performed for decades, substantial misinformation—LASIK myths—persist. They continue to be passed along via social media, word of mouth and the internet. We are never surprised to hear these fears and myths from our patients, but sometimes patients are too afraid to ask us about them. They become the elephant in the room.

Let’s dispel these myths about LASIK and give you the straight facts.

Myth #1: If I Move During the Surgery, I Can Ruin My Eyes.

No, absolutely not. The truth is you cannot do anything wrong during your surgery. The advanced technology available here at South Texas Eye Institute has 3D tracking that follows the most minute movements of your eyes. Should your gaze veer off the tracker, the laser will stop. The laser will resume exactly at the spot it stopped. So no worries.

Myth #2: LASIK Is Painful.

Everyone is afraid of pain, but with LASIK we apply numbing drops several times prior to surgery. There is no pain! The most you feel is some scratchiness after the numbing drops wear off; therefore we recommend taking some Tylenol or Advil to relieve that discomfort. So relax.

Myth #3. I Can’t Have LASIK Because I Have Astigmatism.

The earliest lasers could not correct astigmatism, but technology now allows us to correct astigmatism. LASIK changes the shape of the cornea to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and yes, astigmatism.

Myth #4: LASIK Is Still Too New. I Want to Wait Until It Is Safer.

Although we thought this one would go away with time, this myth still persists. Millions of surgeries have been successfully performed for decades with an extremely low complication rate. Our military and first responders have laser vision correction every day along with professional athletes. This should be a testament to its success rate and safety.

Myth #5. My Eyesight Is Too Bad to Have LASIK.

If you were told previously that you were not a good candidate for LASIK, it’s possible that with today’s technology there could be another procedure to correct your vision. Ask us about ICL, LASIK for Presbyopia, or PRK. Don’t give up until you have had an evaluation at South Texas Eye Institute. Your preoperative and postoperative exam can be just as important as the day of surgery.

Myth #6. The Surgeon Doesn’t Matter Because the Laser Does the Work.

This one is really a myth. Successful LASIK surgery depends on a thorough evaluation by an experienced surgeon. That same surgeon will review the test results and prepare a surgical plan customized just for your eyes. The laser is just one tool the surgeon uses.

We have heard it all, so don’t be afraid to ask questions during your evaluation. Ask away!

Don’t let the elephant in the room stop you from having the vision you’ve always dreamed about.

Schedule your LASIK evaluation today.