Can you get LASIK twice on the same eye? Many people considering the procedure ask this question. Usually, LASIK eye surgery is thought about to be an irreversible way to reshape your cornea and therefore remedy your vision. In general, it is acceptable to have repeat laser surgery (LASIK) on the same eye if the condition of the eye can tolerate the surgery. The decision is up to the surgeon who performs the surgery.
Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery Twice?
The brief answer is yes; in most cases, you can have laser eye surgery two times. That’s supplying you have a safe quantity of eye tissue following surgery. But the bright side is you most likely won’t require to, thanks to the high success rates of the treatment.
For most people, the result of laser eye surgery is permanent. Around 95% of patients report being very happy with the results, and experience significantly enhanced eyesight for several years after surgery.
For the remaining 5% of people, nevertheless, the vision correction may come short of the preferred outcome, and these patients in some cases look for laser eye surgery more than once. Such laser eye surgery enhancements or touch-ups are typically free for the first year after treatment.
Luckily, so long as the corneal tissue (on the front of your eye) is thick enough and your eyes are healthy, you can get repeat laser eye treatment, and an eye surgeon will have the ability to advise for you.
Can I have LASIK more than once and how many times?
However there are cases when it is necessary to make an extra correction of previously made treatment and a second stage of laser correction is carried out. Though such situations are rather rare, you should not be afraid of them – usually after the second surgery the expected results are achieved and the laser correction effect is preserved for the rest of your life. Risks are minimal if the thickness of cornea allows performing additional interventions, there are no other contraindications, and modern equipment is used for laser treatment.
How many times can I undergo laser eye correction?
The number of possible interventions on the cornea is determined individually on the basis of its initial thickness. The method for determining this parameter is called pachymetry and is performed using ultrasound. Thinning of cornea is an absolute contraindication for repeated laser correction sessions. Laser application is permitted if the thickness of the cornea membrane is no less than 480-500 micrometers.
Some surgical interventions initially presuppose repeated session and are performed in two stages. It is important to observe the recommended period between two operations and to follow all the recommendations of ophthalmologists during the preoperative period, between sessions, and after the additional intervention.
Indications for repeated laser correction of vision
There are clinical situations when the initial state of a patient’s eyes may compromise the possibility of laser correction in one session. Such cases include high refractive error, high degrees of astigmatism, and concomitant diseases of the visual system that affect refractive capabilities.
If Laser vision correction (LASIK) was performed quite a long time ago when the techniques were imperfect and often led to undesirable consequences. Your vision has deteriorated as a result. In this case it is possible to repeat the surgery.
The main reasons for repeated correction of vision:
- If the desired refractive effect is not achieved after laser correction and the patient is unhappy with his or her vision, a second correction may be performed.
- Undercorrection or overcorrection at the stage of primary intervention, due to the individual peculiarities of the structure of the eye;
- Also with an initially high degree of myopia or hyperopia, and the presence of large astigmatism, the repeated stage cannot be avoided.
- High degrees of refractive errors which are at the limit of modern excimer laser;
- Progression of concomitant diseases that constantly affect visual acuity;
- Inadequate preparation for primary surgery;
- Patient’s non-compliance with recommendations during rehabilitation period;
- Medical errors at the stages of diagnosis or treatment;
- Long-standing surgical interventions using irrelevant techniques and outdated equipment;
- Radial keratotomy – an obsolete technique performed in the 80’s and 90’s to change the curvature of the cornea by applying notches with a special microsurgical blade;
- Subjective dissatisfaction with the results of the operation;
- development of complications after the primary correction – disturbance of twilight vision, preservation of iridescent halos when looking at a source of bright light (halo effect).
Contraindications
Restrictions for additional laser correction include a wider list of conditions than for the primary surgery.
Some of them coincide with the general contraindications for any laser intervention:
- Pathological irregularities of the cornea relief, in which the formation of its flap is dangerous;
- Inflammations of the eye structures – conjunctivitis, keratitis, iridocyclitis, etc;
- cataract;
- glaucoma;
- certain pathologies of the retina;
- Any infectious processes in the acute stage;
- oncological diseases;
- chronic pathologies, systemic diseases of any organs in decompensation stage;
- Pregnancy and lactation.
Before refractive surgery, in order to prevent retinal detachment, laser photocoagulation is performed, if necessary.
The main contraindication to repeated laser eye corrections is extreme thinning of the cornea, and in such cases it is not safe.
LASIK Eye Surgery Period
LASIK eye surgery was authorized in Canada in the early 1990s and in the United States soon thereafter. Therefore, it has actually been around commercially for roughly 25 years. The impacts of LASIK eye surgery are thought about to be irreversible, and because of technology enhancements and increasingly skilled surgeons, the results today are relatively constant.
Can You Get LASIK Twice If Necessary?
Can you have lasik more than once if needed? There is no particular answer to this and it depends on your specific case. If the eye is well healed, there is sufficient tissue left, and there is a considerable advantage in doing more surgery, then a repeat LASIK might be performed. Our experience is in raising flaps for retreatments this several years out there is a higher chance of complications such as epithelial ingrowth and you have to discuss this with your doctor. Often a surface or PRK treatment can be carried out, however this is absolutely off label and not an FDA approved treatment (nor is any repeat laser treatement FDA approved).
Some patients only have very small changes in their vision, and a repeat surgery is not always in their best interest. It depends on you and your doctor to evealuate your case individually and make that decision. But right now getting LASIK surgery twice is not popular solution in most cases.
Vision Correction After LASIK Eye Surgery
There might be some cases in which someone needs an additional eye treatment or need to use corrective lenses after LASIK eye surgery.
LASIK eye surgery generally does not remedy the need for checking out glasses. There is a choice of having monovision, which produces the ability to read close-up and far away. Some people test monovision eye surgery by utilizing monovision contact lenses and discover they don’t like this type of vision correction. For these people, checking out glasses may be required in their later years as eyes alter with age.
Simply as you may have had small changes in your glasses prescription gradually, you might have minor changes in your vision with time after laser eye surgery. Because of these natural changes, an individual might need an enhancement, or a touch-up procedure, after LASIK eye surgery. The need for enhancements is triggered by somebody’s prescription slowly changing after his/her procedure. There are some methods to minimize requirements for improvements, such as by picking an extremely proficient surgeon, the current innovation, and going to a provider who picks prospects thoroughly. Even then, an enhancement may be required.
Another circumstance that might need vision correction involves hormonal modifications. Pregnancy can cause hormonal changes in the eyes, for instance, so a woman planning to have children later on might wish to wait to have LASIK eye surgery in order to guarantee she gets her best possible outcomes.
Eye Health After Lasik Eye Surgery
After LASIK eye surgery, annual eye examinations are necessary. While vision correction, such as glasses and contacts, is a main concern of numerous individuals who check out eye doctors routinely, there are additional treatments and tests your eye doctor goes to make sure overall eye health. But, again, in some cases eye doctor can suggest to repeat LASIK surgery after previous one.
Questions and Answers
How often does LASIK need to be redone?
Repeat LASIK surgery after 10 years – when it makes sense? As far as researchers know, they are. The cornea looks unblemished to the experienced eye after a year. Most patients will not require any additional surgery in the decades to come after LASIK. However, 1 to 2 percent of individuals may have a natural drift in their need for glasses and may need a “redo” after 5 to 10 years.
Can LASIK go wrong?
LASIK is surgery, and all surgeries come with risk. Surgical issues from laser vision correction are exceptionally rare. But they do happen. LASIK issues consist of infections along with dislocation of the corneal flap that’s made during the surgery.
