Benefits of Lasik Surgery Tips
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LASIK Statistics
Patients who are interested in learning more about the benefits of LASIK should pay particular attention to the statistics regarding the results of the procedure. In reviewing these statistics, a patient should be sure to consult with an eye surgeon for information on whether or not he is likely to achieve these same types of results through LASIK.
The American Association of Professional Eyecare Specialists has published statistical information stating approximately 55 percent of all LASIK patients obtain results of 20/20 or better while approximately 92 percent of LASIK patients obtain results of 20/40 or better. However, other data seems to indicate the percentage of patients who wind up with 20/20 vision or better may be significantly higher with some data suggesting approximately 85 percent of patients achieve this degree of visual acuity.
Poor Candidates for LASIK
While LASIK can produce incredible results in terms of vision correction, not all patients with poor vision are good candidates for the procedure. Patients who are considering LASIK should consult with their eye surgeon to determine whether or not they are an ideal candidate for LASIK surgery.
Some of the conditions which may make a patient a poor candidate for LASIK include the following:
- Thin cornea
- A cornea with an abnormal structure
- Pregnancy
- Cataract
- Corneal Dystrophies
- Ocular Herpetic Keratitis
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Severe dry eye
Patients with the above conditions may not be ideal candidates for LASIK but may find that other types of vision correction may be beneficial.
Long Term LASIK Results
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, it is important for those who are considering LASIK to realize long term data is not available for this type of procedure. While initial LASIK results are overwhelmingly positive, the first laser approved for use in the procedure was in 1998 and as a result there has not been sufficient time to evaluate the long term LASIK results.
The results of LASIK surgery are considered to be permanent. However, as of now there is no long term data to support this consideration. Over time the long term results will be more fully analyzed and patients will have more information to use for the purposes of evaluating the long term LASIK results.
Evaluating LASIK Success Rate Statistics
LASIK success rate statistics presented by eye surgeons can often be deceiving and difficult to understand. The national success rate for LASIK patients indicates approximately 92 percent of patients obtain a visual acuity of 20/40 or better. However, many individual surgeons boast success rates which are significantly higher than this with some claiming to have a 99 percent success rate for patients obtaining a visual acuity of 20/20 or better. This is often because the surgeon may have only performed the procedure on a relatively small number of patients and may have also only performed the procedure on patients requiring a small amount of vision correction.
When evaluating LASIK success rate statistics and comparing data for two or more surgeons it is very important to consider how many patients the surgeon has performed the procedure on. This is important because it is a good indication of the experience level of the surgeon.
It is also important to carefully examine the LASIK success rate statistics as they apply to patients with surgical requirements similar to your own needs. This is important because LASIK surgery is highly customizable and the more experience a surgeon has with similar situations, the more likely he is to be able to treat your unique situation successfully.
Useful LASIK Surgery Statistics
LASIK surgery statistics can prove to be an excellent source of information for patients who are considering the procedure. This is because statistical data can be used to support the patient's decision to undergo the procedure. Some of the LASIK surgery statistics a prospective patient may find useful include:
- LASIK surgery was performed on approximately 1.3 million Americans in 2005
- LASIK surgery takes approximately 10-15 minutes for both eyes
- Custom, wavefront-guided procedures accounted for approximately 50 percent of all LASIK procedures performed in the
United States in 2005 - Bladeless, all-laser procedures accounted for approximately 25 percent of all LASIK procedures performed in the
United States in 2005 - In 2005, the average cost of LASIK surgery ranged from $2,200 to $2,400
Before committing to undergo a LASIK procedure, prospective patients should take the time to thoroughly research the LASIK surgery statistics which are most important to them specifically. Your eye surgeon may be able to provide a great deal of worthwhile statistical information but it is also important to do independent research on the subject, as well as relying on your surgeon to provide this type of data.
