If you have a refractive error, you need glasses or contact lenses to see. Some people wear contact lenses over glasses because they are often more convenient.
But contact lenses can come with their own set of frustrations as well. But permanent vision correction procedures like LASIK exist if you want to explore other options. LASIK can give you incredible vision and freedom from glasses and contact lenses.
But is LASIK worth getting? Most LASIK patients think so!
LASIK has a higher rate of patient satisfaction than even contact lenses. Over 95% of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. Also, studies have compared long-term visual satisfaction with contact lenses and LASIK. Keep reading to find out why you’ll get the visual satisfaction you want with LASIK and why there are studies that prove it!
A 3-Year Study Proves Higher Visual Satisfaction After LASIK Over Contact Lenses
“Three-Year Longitudinal Survey Comparing Visual Satisfaction with LASIK and Contact Lenses” was a comparative study done in 2016 that assessed the visual satisfaction of LASIK patients in comparison to patients who used contact lenses.
The survey was conducted on 1,800 subjects between the ages of 18 and 60. They were enrolled through 20 sites across the US to get a diverse sample of the US population.
The control group wore contact lenses and was surveyed over three years. The primary treatment group wore contact lenses and then had LASIK.
Meanwhile, a smaller treatment group only wore glasses and then had LASIK. Both groups were also surveyed over three years. The surveys given to all groups asked questions about the patient’s overall satisfaction with their method of visual correction.
The Results of the Study
Each year during the study, the control group had lower satisfaction with their contact lenses overall than the treatment groups. At year three, only 54% of patients who wore contact lenses expressed satisfaction, whereas 88% of former contact lens wearers expressed satisfaction with their vision following LASIK.
The surveys also showed that LASIK made driving easier for patients at night and didn’t increase dry eye symptoms statistically significantly. These results indicate that patients are much happier with LASIK than contact lenses.
But what a survey says is only part of the story. What makes LASIK better for vision correction than contact lenses?
Here are some things that could lead to dissatisfaction if you wear contact lenses regularly.
Contact Lens Dissatisfaction
Interestingly, the control group in the study went from 68% satisfaction at the beginning to 54% by year three. This probably isn’t surprising if you’ve worn contact lenses for a while.
Many annoyances come with frequently wearing contact lenses. You may get used to putting them in and taking them out, but it still adds time to your daily routine.
They can also make your eyes feel dry if you don’t clean them properly or use enough solution to keep them moist. You’re also at an increased risk of eye infections by wearing them.
After you’ve worn contact lenses for many years, like the patients in the study’s control group, it’s common to feel sick and tired of wearing them. They may irritate your eyes or fall out when you least expect them to, causing you to lose them when you need them most.
But LASIK can help you feel truly satisfied with your vision.
The Advantages of LASIK
When you get LASIK, you’ll be able to achieve visual freedom, meaning you’ll no longer need to depend on glasses and contact lenses. By achieving visual freedom, you can eliminate the annoyances associated with both contact lenses and glasses.
But LASIK goes beyond giving you visual freedom. The vision correction procedure also provides you with better vision than when you depended on glasses and contact lenses.
Enjoy Better Vision than You Had with Visual Aids
That’s because it corrects your vision beyond your original prescription. LASIK permanently changes the shape of your cornea to correct your exact refractive errors, giving you better vision than glasses and contact lenses ever could. LASIK is an excellent choice to achieve sharper, crisper vision!
After LASIK, you’ll be able to see the world more clearly. You’ll have better depth perception, making everything look crisper and more vibrant.
Most patients achieve 20/20 vision or better, meaning you can look forward to the best vision of your life after LASIK! When you get LASIK at New England Eye Center, rest assured you’re getting the most advanced and state-of-the-art form of LASIK available.
LASIK Procedures are All-Laser and Bladeless
All LASIK procedures performed at New England Eye Center are all-laser and bladeless, ensuring only the best and most optimal outcomes for laser vision correction patients. These advanced systems also create a detailed map of the eye to more accurately program the laser, resulting in increased accuracy and optimal vision after LASIK.
Having a map of the eye to follow enables your LASIK surgeon to correct your refractive error beyond your original prescription in as precise and accurate a manner as possible. It also ensures that the LASIK procedure is as minimally invasive as possible for faster recovery. If wearing glasses and contact lenses no longer seems like the best way to see, LASIK may be worth looking into.
If you’re tired of the constraints of wearing visual aids and want something better, consider LASIK. The research shows that LASIK can give you the vision of your dreams while achieving your desired visual satisfaction.
If you want to take your first steps towards better vision, schedule your LASIK consultation at New England Eye Center in Boston, MA! Why wait any longer if better vision could be yours for the taking?