Is it Time to Have Laser Eye Surgery? Why Wait?

Most people with refractive errors such as short-sightedness, long-sightedness, and astigmatism, have spent years dealing with the shortcomings of glasses and contact lenses. They may simply have gotten used to the cons of these common visual aids or have perhaps been putting off seriously considering Laser Eye Surgery. But when it comes down to it: what’s the point in waiting?

We get it; going ahead with Laser Eye Surgery is a big decision and there are a lot of things to consider, from the cost to the potential risks. For these reasons, many people who could benefit go on living with poor vision for much longer than necessary. However, we also believe that the decision doesn’t have to be this difficult.

As our founder and expert laser eye surgeon, Professor Dan Reinstein, says: “Almost invariably, the first thing that people say right after having Laser Eye Surgery is, “I wish I’d had it done sooner.”

Get ahead of the myths and folklore

Unfortunately, despite the procedure now being around for decades, there remains a significant amount of misinformation about Laser Eye Surgery. Many people still consider Laser Eye Surgery to be a “risky” option that should be considered as a last resort. These myths persist despite a vast amount of evidence to the contrary.

The fact is, Laser Eye Surgery is associated with fewer risks than wearing contact lenses. What’s more, when it comes to cost, the treatment could even work out to be better value than alternative visual aids – particularly if you have it done sooner!

So, what does Professor Reinstein recommend?

“My conclusion after performing over 20,000 procedures and speaking with my patients afterward is that many people approach Laser Eye Surgery the wrong way around. They wait until they are absolutely sure that they want to get it done (for some negative driving reason), and then go for a consultation.

“Really, it should be the other way around: people should first go for a consultation and only then decide if they want to do it. You can only sit down to think about whether you want Laser Eye Surgery once you have the facts. You can only get the facts from an expert surgeon after he’s had a chance to examine and test your eyes.”