March 19, 2020

Why Get LASIK Surgery Now – What to Know

**Disclaimer: This blog post does not replace medical advice and should not be implemented prior to consulting a fully certified medical professional.
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Why Get LASIK Surgery Now

Having to wear eyeglasses and contact lenses almost all your life can be a bothersome ordeal for many. We understand how tiring it is to fumble over your night table, searching for your glasses, or spending that extra 10 minutes in the morning trying to groggily put in your contacts. For these reasons, a lot of glasses and contact lens users consider getting LASIK eye surgery to make their lives simpler and easier.

How does LASIK Eye Surgery Work?

LASIK Eye Surgery, or laser in-situ keratomileusis, is a refractive eye surgery performed to correct vision, used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. This procedure reshapes the cornea to let light into the retina properly, resulting in enhanced vision.

LASIK offers a wide variety of benefits that can dramatically boost your quality of life. If you’re thinking of getting the procedure done, here are some reasons why you should push on ahead and get LASIK:

Improved Quality of Life

If you’ve lived with eyeglasses or contact lenses almost all your life, imagine just how convenient it will be to not have to wear them anymore. Not only will you save yourself so much time, you’ll also save yourself all those pokes in the eye from early-morning contact lens insertions. There’s no doubt that having better vision makes your life a ton and a half easier, so why not undergo the procedure as soon as you can?

Valley Laser Eye Centre patient driving without glasses after recovering from laser eye surgery

Easy Procedure

The idea of undergoing LASIK can be scary, and it’s understandable and normal to feel that way. However, don’t let fear hinder you from getting the surgery and stop you from having a chance at 20/20 vision.

LASIK surgery is basically pain-free. The procedure itself only takes around 15 minutes to be completed—that’s right, just fifteen minutes. Oftentimes, many LASIK patients, once done with the procedure, say that the surgery was way easier than they thought it’d be and wish that they had done it sooner.

Valley Laser Eye Centre patient receiving laser eye surgery

Instant Recovery

Once you undergo LASIK, you’ll gain clear sight and you’ll be able to forego eyeglasses or contact lenses immediately after the surgery. Your vision will also continue to improve and adjust in the following days. Worried about having to miss work or school because of the recovery time? Well guess what: there is no recovery time. You can go about your usual schedule directly after the surgery.

Long-Term Results

Don’t think that the eyesight you have directly after the procedure is the direct result. After getting the procedure, your eyes will continue to improve over the months and will stay that way. LASIK results are proven to be long-term and expected to be permanent, which means you can kiss your contact lenses and your glasses goodbye.

If you’re looking for LASIK surgery in Abbotsford, get in touch with us today to book a consultation and to learn more about our services.

Refractive Lens Exchange vs Cataract Surgery: What’s the Difference?

If you have been researching ways to improve your vision, you may have come across both Refractive Lens Exchange and Cataract Surgery. At first glance, these two procedures can seem almost identical, and in many ways, they are. Both involve removing the eye’s natural lens and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens to improve vision.

So what makes them different?

The main difference is why the lens is being removed.

In cataract surgery, the natural lens has become cloudy and is interfering with vision. In Refractive Lens Exchange, the natural lens is still clear, but it is no longer providing the quality of vision you want, often because of age-related reading changes, farsightedness, or a desire to reduce dependence on glasses.

Can Cataracts Cause Night Glare, Halos, And Trouble Driving?

If headlights seem too bright, streetlights look surrounded by rings, or driving at night feels more stressful than it used to, cataracts may be part of the reason.

Many people think cataracts only cause blurry vision. In reality, they often affect quality of vision even before eyesight seems severely reduced on a chart. One of the most common early complaints is difficulty seeing clearly in low light, especially while driving at night. Glare, halos, poor contrast, and a general loss of sharpness can all make evening driving feel uncomfortable or even unsafe.

Can You Have Cataract Surgery If You’ve Had Previous Vision Correction?

The short answer is yes. In many cases, you can still have cataract surgery if you have had previous vision correction such as LASIK, PRK, or other refractive procedures. The more important question is not whether cataract surgery is possible, but how carefully it is planned. Previous vision correction changes the optics of the eye, which means cataract surgery after LASIK or PRK often requires more advanced measurements, thoughtful lens selection, and a surgeon who understands how earlier procedures can affect the final result.

If you are noticing blurred vision years after laser vision correction, you are not alone. Many patients who once enjoyed excellent distance vision later develop cataracts simply because the natural lens ages over time. A previous refractive procedure does not disqualify you from cataract surgery. It does mean your surgical plan should be individualized. At Valley Laser Eye Centre, that conversation may involve your history ofLASIK,PRK, or other correction, along with your current symptoms, lifestyle goals, and lens options such as those discussed on theCataract Surgery andRefractive Lens Exchange pages.

Why Get LASIK Surgery Now – What to Know