Crystal Clear After LASIK? Not So Fast!

Millions of people have undergone LASIK vision-correction surgery since this procedure gained FDA approval back in 1996. Very rarely do we hear anything bad about this treatment. Patients who have had it done typically express immediate satisfaction with the improvement they have achieved. So much so that there is a tiny misconception that keeps going around about LASIK. Patients who consult with doctors about this procedure usually expect that they will open their eyes right after surgery and have crystal clear vision. This isn’t how it happens.

Why the Myth?

LASIK is one of the leading vision-correcting procedures of our time. Why would a myth like this circulate for so many years? There are two reasons. One is that most patients do notice a difference in their vision immediately after having LASIK performed. When looking across the room, objects look sharper. Another reason for the idea that vison is crystal clear after LASIK is that emotion rules memory. Here’s what we mean.

Science indicates that our experiences in life are shaded by our feelings. The emotions that surround an experience stay in our long-term memory while the details of the experience fade away quite quickly. This is evidenced by the way that women forget the physical sensations of childbirth but remember the joys, and even the fears, of their delivery. LASIK operates on the same basis. Patients are so thrilled that their vision has improved so quickly that they forget one tiny detail: haziness.

Yes, Your Vision Will be Hazy After LASIK

There are very few, if any, patients who do not experience temporary haziness after getting LASIK. It is nearly impossible not to. The reason this happens has nothing to do with the success of surgery or even the healing of the eye. It has to do with water. When we perform LASIK, we use saline to keep the surface of the eye clean and clear. The saline gets absorbed into the cornea, causing a haze to linger until the water is naturally pushed out. The cornea does this on its own over about six hours. After that point, patients have that crystal-clear vision they had expected.

Learn more about LASIK and what it can do for you by consulting with a doctor who has performed numerous procedures. Call Pasadena Eye Associates at (713) 473-5715 to schedule your visit.