The physical effects of LASER eye surgery last a lifetime, as it permanently remodels the cornea. Another popular form of laser eye surgery is PRK eye surgery, which is a more involved procedure but can also provide excellent results. The need for reading glasses, cataracts, and other age-related changes will also affect all people as they age. Cataract surgery is a common procedure to treat cataracts and can help restore vision.
Finally, it's a good idea to continue having your eyes examined regularly after LASIK or PRK surgery to reduce the risk of untreated eye diseases, usually age-related. The short and simple answer is yes. Procedures such as LASIK, PRK and SMILE are permanent forms of laser vision correction. The physical alterations to the cornea caused by LASIK eye surgery are permanent. In this sense, LASIK is permanent. However, if the initial surgery doesn't produce the best vision you want, or if your eye changes dramatically due to another medical condition, such as cataracts, you may still need a follow-up improvement procedure or cataract surgery. While LASIK permanently corrects your current eye condition, it sadly cannot protect you against possible age-related eye conditions, such as presbyopia or cataracts (more information below).
While scientists may have a very specific idea of what regression actually entails, most people concerned about the risk of vision regression after LASIK aren't worried that their vision will return exactly to what it was before treatment. And in your mid-40s, it's common to notice that you gradually lose your near or near vision as the eye's natural lens becomes less flexible, a normal part of aging called presbyopia, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It's a very persistent myth, people think that LASIK isn't permanent and that it may only last a few years. While vision correction through LASIK surgery is long lasting, the eye's natural aging process changes your vision even if you underwent the procedure.
If you have more questions about the duration of LASIK or if LASIK is permanent, schedule a LASIK consultation with your local eye doctor. This is why your LASIK surgeon will want to know if your eyeglasses have changed in the last few years before the procedure. The future onset of cataracts is another factor to consider when undergoing LASIK laser eye surgery. The goal of LASIK surgery is to completely correct your prescription at the time of the procedure, not to delay or reverse the eye's aging process.
Even if you previously underwent a LASIK procedure and had exceptional close vision without needing reading glasses, near vision will inevitably continue to deteriorate with age. These patients can usually be treated with lens replacement or, in some cases, with LASIK augmentation surgery. Technically speaking, the eye doesn't regress in the strictest sense of the word because it's unlikely to return to its previous level of dysfunction. The results of LASIK eye surgery are long-lasting and can correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism.
The National Eye Institute says that you're likely to develop cataracts as you age and, in some cases, require corrective surgery. It's a good idea to keep track of your pre-LASIK prescription in case you need cataract surgery in the future.
