Clarity of Vision After Lasik. Does Vision Keep Improving Over Time?

Question

I am almost 4 weeks out from Lasik (intralase/allegretto) and was -8.00 in both eyes w/ some astigmatism. Compared to before, I should be grateful that I can actually see without the need for contacts or glasses. However I am a little concerned I might be undercorrected. I was out yesterday w/ a friend and they have a very small prescription ( < -1.00) and I tried on their glasses and with them on, street signs and people's faces across the street were clearer. Does clarity improve over time?

Mazin Yaldo, MD · Answer

I personally perform CATz Lasik as it is the most advanced form of Lasik available. If you are treated with a CATz laser your vision will reach 20/20 - 20/15 the next day. If you are treated with a standard Lasik laser or a SMILE laser, it may take a few months for the full results to manifest in your vision.

Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA · Answer

i used to perform LASIK, did a few thousand of those, switched to the more advanced and safer noncutting LASEK 7 years ago, so am very familiar with both procedures

	i also had LASIK myself 14 years ago

	after LASIK, the recovery is very fast, but your vision stops improving after about 2 weeks, 3 weeks at the most. so if you are a bit blurry after 1 month, it won't improve

	after LASEK the recovery is slower, but you continue to improve longer. this means that your vision will lag that of a LASIK patient for the 1st month, but should catch up with the LASIK result at 1 month, but after 1 month your vision can continue to improve, so at 2-3 months in many cases it will actually be better than a LASIK patient (because there is no distortion induced by having a 2-piece cornea, which is the result after cutting a flap)

	therefore, since you had LASIK, and see better with your friend's glasses, it means you are undercorrected, and need an enhancement.

	i just published a letter to the editor in the #1 refractive journal in the world, stating that it is safer to enhance LASIK patients by performing a LASEK on top of the flap, rather than the older method (that i used to use myself) of lifting up the LASIK flap, lasering the bed, and then putting the bed back down. just google my name Emil Chynn MD and the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and you can pull this article up and show it to your surgeon and ask him how he is planning on enhancing you

	hope this helps you make a wise decision

Clarity of Vision After Lasik. Does Vision Keep Improving Over Time?

Answers (2)