Will I Need Eye Exams After LASIK?
LASIK has an excellent reputation for correcting refractive errors to enhance vision. LASIK can treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, reducing the need for eye exams after surgery. Still, the optometrists at GW Eye Associates recommend that patients continue to undergo eye exams after LASIK.
LASIK can help patients achieve 20/20 vision, allowing them to do away with their prescription lenses. But should they stop attending routine eye exams as well? Comprehensive eye exams evaluate the health and function of the eyes, which can be extremely beneficial to our La Jolla, Carmel Valley, and San Diego, CA, patients, even after LASIK correction.
Why Do I Need Eye Exams After LASIK?
Many people are hopeful that they’ll be able to eliminate routine eye exams after LASIK, but the truth is that comprehensive eye exams are essential for everyone, regardless of their eyesight. Even if someone has 20/20 vision, eye exams are still recommended. This is because eye exams do more than evaluate a person’s vision. They provide optometrists with an overview of ocular health, and are the best diagnostic tool for eye diseases and other complications.
To ensure that vision stays stable after LASIK, and to safeguard eye health, LASIK patients should follow the same guidelines as asymptomatic, low-risk adults. The American Optometric Association recommends that these individuals schedule routine eye exams at least once every two years. Individuals with risk factors should schedule annual eye exams.
Aren’t LASIK Results Permanent?
Patients are often confused about the need for routine eye exams after LASIK because they have heard that LASIK results are permanent. If that is the case, why does the vision continually need to be checked? To clarify, the alterations made during LASIK treatment are permanent. However, even after LASIK, the shape of the eye can continue to change as a person ages, which may lead to changes in the vision. Additionally, there are many eye diseases that can impact vision, and these have nothing to do with a person’s LASIK procedure. Routine eye exams are the best way to diagnose these conditions before they progress and cause irreversible damage or vision loss.
Checking For Other Eye Diseases
During a comprehensive eye exam, our optometrists are able to evaluate every part of the eye. This enables them to screen for a full range of common eye diseases, including those that are a leading cause of vision loss. A routine eye exam is the best way to check for:
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Retinal detachment
- Presbyopia
- Infections
In addition, eye exams provide information that can serve as valuable clues regarding general health concerns, including high blood pressure, thyroid disease, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes.
Schedule An Eye Exam
Comprehensive eye exams are an essential part of any healthcare routine, regardless of a person’s vision. If you are due for a routine eye exam, we invite you to schedule an appointment at GW Eye Associates. To get started, send us a message online, or call our eye care center at (858) 454-4699.
