True or False? Common Myths Around Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye surgery was first performed in the 1980’s, and the with the discovery of such a ground-breaking procedure, many myths emerged. Today, advances in technology have made laser eye surgery very popular, allowing millions of people around the world to say goodbye to glasses and contact lenses.

But some of the rumors persist. We asked experts from the Eye Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to talk about some of the common misconceptions about laser vision correction, and tell us which are true and false.

1. Laser eye surgery is very painfulFalse! Laser eye surgery is painless for most patients. Your eye doctor will give you drops that numb your eyes, so you won’t feel any pain. You may feel a little pressure on the eye as the procedure is performed, but this is over within seconds.
2. If it goes wrong, I might go blindFalse! In fact, there have been no recorded cases of anyone going blind as a result of laser eye surgery. In the extremely rare case that there is a complication, it can be corrected by further surgery.
3. It’s just too riskyFalse! Laser eye surgery is one of the safest, most routinely performed surgeries available. Most people who have it are reported to be very happy with the results.
4. I’ll still need to wear glasses when I get oldThis is likely to be true. While laser surgery can correct the current problems with your vision and will change the shape of your cornea, as we age, our eyes may change again. When we get older, most of us develop presbyopia, where we struggle to focus on objects that are nearby. This happens to most people over the age of 40 when the lens inside our eye becomes less elastic. Laser eye surgery targets the cornea, so it won’t affect the lens and can’t stop the onset of this type of long-sightedness.
5. My prescription is too strong for it to workFalse! For the majority of people, this is untrue. In fact, laser eye surgery will work for more than 95% of prescriptions. There are several different types of procedures available and some are better suited to certain vision problems than others, so talk to your eye doctor about which is best for you.
6. Recovery for laser eye surgery takes a long timeFalse! The surgery is over very quickly, and you can go home the same day. Doctors usually recommend you take a few days off, but this is to be on the safe side and gives your eyes time to recover. The only side effects most people experience are blurred vision and a sensitivity to light, but these pass within days for the majority of people.
7. Laser eye surgery is too new to understand the real dangersFalse! LASIK, the original laser eye surgery, was first performed over 30 years ago. Since then, there have been amazing advances in the technology. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi offers the very latest in cutting-edge techniques, designed to offer patients the best results with the shortest recovery times.
8. I have an astigmatism so can’t get laser eye surgeryFalse! With advances in technology, most people who have an astigmatism can now successfully receive laser eye surgery. An astigmatism causes the cornea to be an irregular shape, but thanks to the precise way the lasers change the shape of the cornea, the issue can now be solved.
9. Contact lenses and glasses are saferFalse! While glasses may be a safe bet, contact lenses are in fact far riskier. Lens wearers are touching their eyes several times a day, meaning that the risk of infection is higher.

Interested in Laser Eye Surgery? Talk to your ophthalmologist today about the options available.