Posted by: Albany Cornea | Center For Eye Care Excellence in LASIK

LASIK offers the promise of clearer vision without the daily routine of inserting, removing, and caring for contact lenses. For many people, it means waking up with sharp vision and enjoying activities without worrying about lens discomfort or limitations.

If you’re a contact lens wearer considering LASIK, you might be wondering whether you’re a good candidate for the procedure. Keep reading to learn what contact lens wearers need to know about LASIK eligibility.

What is LASIK?

LASIK is a laser eye surgery designed to correct common refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, dramatically reducing or even eliminating your dependence on glasses or contact lenses.

The outpatient procedure is quick and precise. Your LASIK surgeon begins by numbing your eyes with anesthetic drops and may offer a mild sedative to help you relax. A gentle device holds your eyelids open so you won’t need to worry about blinking.

Using a femtosecond laser, your surgeon creates a thin, hinged flap in the cornea’s outer layer (the epithelium). Once this flap is carefully folded back, an excimer laser reshapes the underlying stromal tissue with microscopic precision. The laser is programmed specifically for your eye measurements, removing just the right amount of tissue to correct your vision.

Finally, the corneal flap is repositioned, where it naturally adheres without stitches. The entire procedure typically takes less than 30 minutes for both eyes.

Can You Get LASIK if You Wear Contact Lenses?

If you wear contact lenses, you can still have LASIK. However, you’ll need to take a break from your contacts for a specific period to undergo the surgery.

Prior to your LASIK procedure, your surgeon will measure your cornea. They’ll use the data to guide the laser that reshapes your cornea during surgery.

Contact lenses rest directly on your cornea, the clear front surface of your eye. With regular wear, they can temporarily alter the cornea’s shape and cause subtle swelling.

If your surgeon were to take measurements before your corneas revert to their natural shape, it could compromise the accuracy of preoperative measurements and the overall precision of the surgery. This can lead to uneven vision correction or residual refractive errors.

Allowing your corneas to settle back into their original shape before LASIK will enable your surgeon to accurately measure them, ensuring successful LASIK outcomes.

How Long Should You Go Without Your Contact Lenses?

How long you should discontinue contact lens use before LASIK will depend on factors such as the lens type and your eye health. During your LASIK assessment, your surgeon will recommend when it’s best to discontinue wearing your contacts.

This may vary slightly from patient to patient. While it may seem like an inconvenience, it’s crucial to follow your LASIK surgeon’s instructions to ensure the safety and success of the surgery.

Here’s a general guideline on when to discontinue use in the weeks running up to your LASIK procedure:

  • Soft contact lenses: Stop for approximately 1 to 2 weeks before surgery
  • Gas permeable or hard contact lenses: Discontinue use for about 3 to 4 weeks prior to LASIK
  • Soft bi-weekly or monthly: Avoid for around 2 to 3 weeks
  • Toric lenses: Stop for about 2 weeks

You can use your glasses during your contact lens break.

Will You Need Contact Lenses after LASIK?

LASIK aims to eliminate the need for visual aids. Post-procedure, most patients achieve 20/20 vision or better without contact lenses.

Even with this high success rate, perfect vision isn’t guaranteed. You may still need to wear contacts, but only for a few activities, like when playing certain sports or driving at night.

Can Anyone Have LASIK?

Though LASIK is highly effective, its success depends largely on certain criteria. You can be a good candidate if you meet the following requirements:

  • You’re at least 18 years or older
  • Your corneas are healthy and thick enough
  • Your prescription hasn’t changed much in the past year
  • Your eyes are healthy enough
  • Your pupils are not too large
  • Your refractive error can be treated with LASIK
  • Your overall health is generally good
  • You’re not pregnant or nursing

Some factors can make you ineligible for LASIK, including:

  • Severe dry eye
  • Poorly managed diabetes
  • A history of certain eye infections
  • Extreme astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness
  • Eye conditions such as keratoconus, cataracts, or glaucoma

Ultimately, your ophthalmologist will determine if you qualify for LASIK after performing a thorough evaluation.

What are the Benefits of LASIK Over Contact Lenses?

There are many advantages of ditching your contacts for LASIK, including:

Cost Savings

Although the upfront cost of LASIK can seem high compared to purchasing contact lenses, the procedure can actually save you money over time. It eliminates many of the lifetime costs of wearing contacts.

After LASIK, you won’t incur the ongoing expenses associated with contact refills, contact lens solutions, eye exams and fittings, and storage cases. These can be minor expenses, but they add up substantially in the long term compared to the one-time cost of LASIK.

Once LASIK pays for itself in only a few years, you’ll be left with more money in your pocket. And with financing options like ALPHAEON Credit, you don’t have to put LASIK on the back burner. You can get clear, unencumbered vision now without the wait.

Permanent Vision Correction

Unlike contacts, which often need to be replaced, LASIK offers permanent vision correction. After LASIK, you’ll enjoy your brand-new, unaided vision for years to come.

You’ll no longer need to constantly purchase new contact lenses or regularly maintain them to ensure optimal vision.

Improves Allergy Symptoms

Contact lenses can aggravate your allergies. You have to insert, adjust, and remove them daily, which can introduce pollen and other allergens into your eyes.

Even if you wash your hands, pollen can still get into your eyes. Contact lenses can trap pollen rather easily, worsening symptoms such as irritation, itching, swelling, excessive tearing, a stinging sensation, and redness.

Getting LASIK means more freedom from contact lenses. You won’t have to touch your eyes as much and exacerbate the irritation, which can reduce the severity of your allergy symptoms and make allergy season more manageable.

Experience the LASIK Difference

Having LASIK at the Center for Eye Care Excellence is a long-term investment in your vision that can free you from contact lenses and improve your overall quality of life. Our experienced LASIK surgeon will guide you through every step to ensure the safety and success of your procedure.

Are you interested in LASIK? Schedule your consultation at Center for Eye Care Excellence in Albany, NY, today to start your journey toward lasting visual freedom.