Eye exams are important, even after LASIK!
In short, the answer is yes. Eye exams are necessary after LASIK and today’s blog will go into even further detail.
Eye Exams Are Just For Glasses Or Contacts, Right?
Wrong, wrong, wrong! While most patients go to the ophthalmologist each year to renew their prescription for glasses or contacts, it’s critical to make an exam appointment each year. This includes patients who have had LASIK.
Plan Your Eye Health With Your Provider
Eye health is critical and isn’t just limited to correcting vision issues. LASIK is used to improve refractive errors but it does not diagnose, prevent, or correct many other eye diseases. After you’ve had LASIK and your eye health is normal and healthy, your provider might suggest less frequent visits. However, it’s important to discuss family history and your lifestyle habits to give your provider a more accurate picture of your risk factors.
If I’ve Had LASIK, I Don’t Need To Go
Sorry, but you’re wrong again. Not only does your ophthalmologist determine your vision, they also check for a variety of ocular diseases. However, annual examinations can be used to diagnose several different conditions, including:
- Glaucoma – This disease causes fluid to build up in the front part of your eye. This can lead to damage to the optic nerve and can eventually cause blindness.
- Cataracts – Cloudiness of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the pupil and iris, occurs when a patient has cataracts. The result is a “milky” looking eye. Untreated cataracts contribute to half of the world’s blindness statistics.
- Diabetic retinopathy – Blindness is a known side effect for diabetic patients. Diabetic retinopathy damages light-sensitive nerves of the retina, causing dark spots or “floaters” in the vision.
- Macular degeneration – While this usually occurs in older patients, macular degeneration is caused by damage to the macula portion of the retina.
EyeLASIK 100% believes that eye exams are necessary after LASIK, even after you’ve improved your vision with the procedure. We encourage you to continue your annual eye exams as a positive, preventative step in your healthcare routine.