Matthew Pruitt is the owner of NuVision Medicenters, with centers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. An expert in the field of LASIK technology, Pruitt shared many of the biggest misconceptions he hears from patients contemplating LASIK.
What are the biggest worries people have about LASIK?
The biggest thing that keeps people from doing LASIK is fear. It's the thing that keeps people from having the presence of mind to actually have the LASIK procedure performed.
There was a study that was announced two years ago, which was actually a comparative long-term study looking at the safety of LASIK versus the safety of long-term contact lens wearers. Interestingly, LASIK came back being much safer than the long-term wearing of contact lenses. In fact, LASIK is the safest elective surgical procedure that is being performed anywhere in terms of success and safety.
In addition to that, it's also now time tested. We have been doing this procedure since 1996-when it was approved by the FDA-and we're getting pretty close to 15 years of data. What we're finding is: Patients are not having any adverse effects to LASIK, even decades after their surgery. Their vision is still holding consistent and it's not diminishing over time, so they are still enjoying the benefits of LASIK years down the road.
We even see that in our own office. Dr. Jerreyll Jackson [NuVision's medical director] has been performing this procedure for 10 years. And we still follow some of those patients who had surgery early on, only to find that they are still seeing perfectly and are very happy that they were some of the first innovators to pioneer the surgery and taking the chance to do it.
So LASIK is safe, and now it's proven. In fact, even NASA has recently approved the bladeless method of doing LASIK surgery for its astronauts who are going into space. So that is certainly another big feather in the cap of laser vision correction from the standpoint of safety.
How long does LASIK last?
Once it's done and you get the outcome that you are looking for, LASIK is permanent. It doesn't change. Especially for patients who have nearsightedness and astigmatism.
The misconception is that you end up having to wear reading glasses in the future, but the reality is that it's actually not because of LASIK. The thing that causes vision to change for reading as you get older has to do with muscles inside the eyes, and that condition is called presbyopia. Once we get into our mid-40s that is a condition that just happens to be a natural part of human nature and LASIK does not make a big change in terms of what you see from that standpoint. So for our patients who are in their 20s or 30s, when they get into their 40s they may need reading glasses but their distance vision is proving to hold up. And we have 15-year data for that.
Are there any other myths you commonly hear from patients?
Well the first thing that is on everybody's mind when they come in is: "Am I going to go blind if I do LASIK?" And the fact of the matter is that over this period of time that we have been doing laser vision correction across the country, there hasn't been a reported case of anybody going blind from LASIK.
LASIK is a really safe procedure, but it's safe for the right type of patient, with the right type of physical characteristic and the right prescription. And that's why it's really critical to have an evaluation by a LASIK surgeon and to make sure that surgeon has a lot of experience in selecting the right candidates. You also want a doctor who errs on the side of caution and works from a conservative point of view.
When you're searching for a doctor, you should look for someone who has done a lot of procedures-preferably in the thousands. And Dr. Jackson has done over 12,000 procedures. And you want a doctor who does specialized care, specifically in laser vision correction. So you're looking for a doctor who has fellowship training specifically in refractive surgery, somebody like Dr. Jackson who has that type of skill as well.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
What are the biggest worries people have about LASIK?
The biggest thing that keeps people from doing LASIK is fear. It's the thing that keeps people from having the presence of mind to actually have the LASIK procedure performed.
There was a study that was announced two years ago, which was actually a comparative long-term study looking at the safety of LASIK versus the safety of long-term contact lens wearers. Interestingly, LASIK came back being much safer than the long-term wearing of contact lenses. In fact, LASIK is the safest elective surgical procedure that is being performed anywhere in terms of success and safety.
In addition to that, it's also now time tested. We have been doing this procedure since 1996-when it was approved by the FDA-and we're getting pretty close to 15 years of data. What we're finding is: Patients are not having any adverse effects to LASIK, even decades after their surgery. Their vision is still holding consistent and it's not diminishing over time, so they are still enjoying the benefits of LASIK years down the road.
We even see that in our own office. Dr. Jerreyll Jackson [NuVision's medical director] has been performing this procedure for 10 years. And we still follow some of those patients who had surgery early on, only to find that they are still seeing perfectly and are very happy that they were some of the first innovators to pioneer the surgery and taking the chance to do it.
So LASIK is safe, and now it's proven. In fact, even NASA has recently approved the bladeless method of doing LASIK surgery for its astronauts who are going into space. So that is certainly another big feather in the cap of laser vision correction from the standpoint of safety.
How long does LASIK last?
Once it's done and you get the outcome that you are looking for, LASIK is permanent. It doesn't change. Especially for patients who have nearsightedness and astigmatism.
The misconception is that you end up having to wear reading glasses in the future, but the reality is that it's actually not because of LASIK. The thing that causes vision to change for reading as you get older has to do with muscles inside the eyes, and that condition is called presbyopia. Once we get into our mid-40s that is a condition that just happens to be a natural part of human nature and LASIK does not make a big change in terms of what you see from that standpoint. So for our patients who are in their 20s or 30s, when they get into their 40s they may need reading glasses but their distance vision is proving to hold up. And we have 15-year data for that.
Are there any other myths you commonly hear from patients?
Well the first thing that is on everybody's mind when they come in is: "Am I going to go blind if I do LASIK?" And the fact of the matter is that over this period of time that we have been doing laser vision correction across the country, there hasn't been a reported case of anybody going blind from LASIK.
LASIK is a really safe procedure, but it's safe for the right type of patient, with the right type of physical characteristic and the right prescription. And that's why it's really critical to have an evaluation by a LASIK surgeon and to make sure that surgeon has a lot of experience in selecting the right candidates. You also want a doctor who errs on the side of caution and works from a conservative point of view.
When you're searching for a doctor, you should look for someone who has done a lot of procedures-preferably in the thousands. And Dr. Jackson has done over 12,000 procedures. And you want a doctor who does specialized care, specifically in laser vision correction. So you're looking for a doctor who has fellowship training specifically in refractive surgery, somebody like Dr. Jackson who has that type of skill as well.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
About the Author
Matthew Pruitt is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a plastic surgeon or more plastic surgery articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. Is LASIK Safe?
No comments:
Post a Comment