One of the most frequent questions patients ask when considering LASIK eye surgery is whether the results are truly permanent. Will the vision correction last a lifetime, or is there a “shelf life” for the treatment?
In a discussion on the Eye Veda Hospital channel, Dr. Surabhi Dutt and Dr. Udbhav Dorwal address this common query, providing clarity on the stability and long-term outlook of LASIK.
| Feature | Key Takeaway from Doctors | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Is LASIK Permanent? | Highly Stable | In 95% to 99% of cases, the LASIK correction is stable and long-lasting. |
| Pre-Surgery Requirements | Must be Met for Stability | Patient must be 18 years or older, have stable eye power, and a healthy cornea (verified by a Pentagram scan). |
| Top Risk for Instability | Aggressive Eye Rubbing | Rubbing eyes too often after the procedure can compromise the cornea’s collagen and cause power to return. |
| Other Factors | Hormonal Changes | For female patients, conditions like pregnancy, PCOD, and major hormonal shifts must be stable and cleared by a specialist. |
| Age-Related Changes | Normal & Expected | A change in number later in life due to normal aging is separate from LASIK failure and is expected for everyone. |
The Doctors’ Verdict: High Stability Rates
According to the doctors, the vast majority of patients experience lasting results. “I feel 95 to 99% it is stable,” says Dr. Dorwal .
However, achieving this long-term stability is dependent on a combination of factors, both before and after the procedure.
Essential Criteria for LASIK Stability (Pre-Surgery)
To ensure the best possible outcome and stability, doctors have a few non-negotiable criteria they check during the pre-operative stage:
- Stable Eye Power: The patient’s refractive error (eye power) must be stable . Rare cases of an unexpected return of power, called a “refractive surprise,” can occur if the power was not stable or if the patient did not provide previous papers for review.
- Age Requirement: The patient must be a minimum of 18 years of age.
- Corneal Health: A Pentagram scan is crucial. This helps doctors ensure the patient does not have any pre-existing cornea issues and is truly fit for any kind of refractive platform.
Key Factors That Can Affect Long-Term Stability
While LASIK is highly stable, the procedure’s long-term effectiveness also relies on how the patient manages their eye health after the surgery.
1. Avoid Aggressive Eye Rubbing (The Major Factor)
This is highlighted as the most critical risk factor that can jeopardize the stability of your LASIK results.
- Corneal stability depends on how the collagen fibers behave over time and the patient’s upkeep and eye hygiene .
- “If they’re rubbing their eyes too often after lasing, it’s bound to come back definitely,” Dr. Dorwal warns.
- The major factor is consistently and aggressively rubbing the eyes.
2. Hormonal Changes
In female patients, significant hormonal shifts can also be a factor that specialist surgeons must consider.
- Conditions such as pregnancy, hormonal changes, and PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease) can influence eye stability.
- If the condition is not stable or has not been cleared by a specialist, it may affect the LASIK outcome.
Conclusion: LASIK is Stable, But Normal Aging Occurs
The consensus from the eye specialists is that LASIK is a highly stable and permanent procedure for most people.
You can safely say that in more than 95% of cases, the LASIK treatment is stable enough.
However, it is important to distinguish between a failure of the LASIK procedure and the normal aging process of the eye. Other factors like normal changes that come with aging can lead to a change in the number later in life. These age-related changes are not a failure of the LASIK correction itself, but a natural development that happens to everyone.
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