Are you at the point in your life where you are weighing the decision between wearing glasses or contact lenses, or moving forward with LASIK? Follow our guide to help you along the way. We'll share the pros and cons of all three options.
LASIK is not for everyone. Before moving forward with the procedure, our doctors have to determine whether you are a good candidate. This is determined by different criteria, including the health of your eyes, thickness of your cornea, age, prescription limits and stability, and overall health. If you are a good candidate for LASIK, you have the option of freeing yourself from other methods of vision correction, including glasses and contact lenses.
Glasses are much more stylish than they used to be, and can be a great addition to your wardrobe. They're also more inexpensive for a short term solution. However, for some people they can be a hassle because glasses can be prone to breaking, needing adjustments, easily misplaced, and sometimes uncomfortable to wear. Think sweat, pressure on your face and smudges and scratches in your field of view.
Contact lenses are typically available to most people and prescriptions compared with LASIK so they can be a great option if you are not a candidate. On the contrary, they are a huge commitment. Contact lenses must be cared for, cleaned and disinfected daily or you could suffer from dry, irritated and itchy eyes. You are also more prone to eye infections as a contact lens wearer, among other issues like dropping a contact lens, rips and tears, and a higher long term cost.
LASIK can potentially rid of the need for glasses and contact lenses. If you're a candidate, LASIK can help you get out of bed in the morning without having to shuffle around to find your glasses first, it can eliminate irritation that contact lenses can give your eyes, and can correct conditions that lead to eyestrain if you work at a computer all day long. LASIK is also more affordable long term, and can be financed (with approved credit) to alleviate the hassle of an up-front cost.
What you choose to do with your eyes is also determined by how you spend your days. Glasses and contact lenses are not necessarily great options for highly active people. Contact lenses do not mix well with water and require proper care to avoid developing eye infections, dry eye and other conditions. While contact lenses can be a great option for wearing while playing sports, if you're a swimmer or involved in another water sport, they might not be the best choice. If you can't tolerate contact lenses and you participate in a contact sport like football or basketball, special sports goggles might be required that include your prescription. This can become costly, and switching back and forth between your dress glasses, contact lenses and sports goggles could become inconvenient.
LASIK is one of the most common elective procedures, with around 800,000 performed annually (aao.org). As with any surgical procedure, there are risks involved, but LASIK has a very low complication rate and is a safe and effective option for most people. To weigh the risks of LASIK and get a more in depth picture of everything it involves, talk to your eye doctor.
If you're considering LASIK, use our Savings Calculator to find out how much money it will save you long term and schedule a FREE consultation below to find out if you are a candidate!