What to Expect from Life After LASIK
When walking down the street, wherever you may be in the world, you never know which strangers around you might have had Laser Eye Surgery. Other people may be wearing glasses, giving away a potential lifetime of refractive errors, but for those who have had corrective surgery, it can simply appear that they have had perfect vision all along.
To date, tens of millions of people around the world have happily blended into the background in this way. No longer do they have to worry about forgetting their glasses or leaving their contact lenses in for too long.
But does the novelty of clear vision wear off after a while? Or is Laser Eye Surgery the gift that keeps on giving? We’re taking a look at some of the areas that people experience the most change after going under the laser.
Sports and Exercise
It is extremely common for professional athletes to have Laser Eye Surgery to improve their sports performance. From golfers Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy to LeBron James and Amy Van Dyken, many athletes have spoken of their decision to have laser corrective surgery. But is it worth considering for the amateur athlete or casual sportsperson?
Swimming Freedom
Many of us enjoy the occasional dip in the pool, particularly in the summer months. But those of us who have ever worn glasses or contact lenses will be well aware of the inconvenience when it comes to jumping in the pool or braving the sea waves.
Of course, wearing glasses in the sea is never a good idea; who knows when a big wave might come along and knock them straight off your head! But braving the water without your glasses can put you at risk of banging into the side of the pool or straying too far from the shore.
Even contact lenses aren’t a viable option for an enjoyable swim. Exposure to water while wearing contact lenses can increase your risk of contracting an eye infection, which can be uncomfortable at best and vision-threatening at worst!
It’s easy to see, then, why Laser Eye Surgery is so popular among swimming and watersports fanatics. From casual swimmers, good-weather surfers and sailing enthusiasts to seasonal wakeboarders and hobby bodyboarders, freedom from glasses and contact lenses can only be a good thing.
Comfort for Casual Exercise
The gym and exercise classes have become more popular than ever before. However, anyone who has tried running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or attending a deathly body pump class will know that the gym and visual aids aren’t generally a good mix.
Unfortunately, for those who enjoy staying active, whether that simply involves going to the gym, going on extreme sports holidays, or enjoying a few games of tennis or squash, glasses and contact lenses can be a significant burden.
For most people, Laser Eye Surgery can rid them of the hassle of contacts and glasses, so they can enjoy the sports and activities they love to the fullest. In fact, it can even open the door to new hobbies that may have simply been off the cards before! This could be skydiving or scuba diving, or anything else that you could have once never imagined.
Being able to watch television and seeing detail – but best of all being able to programme the machines in the gym! Thank you so much for giving me back 20/20 vision and for taking 20 years off my life.
Convenience and time
For many people who choose to have Laser Eye Surgery, it is the little areas of life where they notice the most difference. Before their treatment, they may have become accustomed to all the everyday moments that are impacted by wearing glasses or contact lenses. But when these burdens are taken away, the discovery of convenience and time can be overwhelming.
The Everyday Moments
Take, for example, being able to doze off at night (or in the afternoon) without having to worry about taking off your glasses. For contact lens wearers, the benefits here are even more obvious – no more strict removal, cleaning and storage routines to worry about before bed! That could add up to a lot of stress and time that could be removed with the help of Laser Eye Surgery.
Of course, there are many more things to worry about in the waking hours, too. From the hassle of inserting your contact lenses first thing in the morning, or repeatedly taking off your glasses to put them on again moments later, to forgetting your visual aids at work or on the train. These small headaches can certainly add up; and yet, they are part and parcel of wearing glasses or contact lenses.
In contrast, Laser Eye Surgery allows you to own your own vision. That means no more being a prisoner to your contacts or specs. Aside from the time you need to set aside for your pre-operative tests, treatment, and aftercare appointments, you will hopefully never have to worry about your vision for years to come.
Braving the Elements
Renting your vision from glasses or contact lenses can also spell trouble when it comes to the weather or even the conditions inside! For contact lens wearers, air conditioning can create a dry environment that saps the moisture from the eyes, leading to discomfort and irritation.
On the other hand, glasses wearers will be all too used to wiping away rain from their lenses when walking in the rain. And don’t even mention anything that involves a rapid temperature change, like cooking or walking into a warm room in winter – hello, fogged-up glasses!
The bottom line is, while glasses and contact lenses are an effective way to correct your vision, they are often not suited for modern life. On the other hand, Laser Eye Surgery is a modern solution that was designed with the modern era in mind. When successful, it can effectively make all these little inconveniences and irritations a thing of the past. That means all the routine things we all do every day can once again become simple and even enjoyable.
Career and Professional Life
Our vision is important in every aspect of our lives, including our professional lives. This applies to a vast array of jobs, from working in an office to being a creative or a manufacturer.
Working on screens
Take the millions of people who work at a computer every day. From tasks like writing and emailing to designing and programming, these are often heavily visual jobs that can become difficult when you rely on glasses or contact lenses.
Looking at screens for prolonged periods can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS) – also known as digital eye strain – which can cause significant discomfort. The symptoms of CVS, such as blurry vision, eye strain, and eye fatigue, can be made all the worse when wearing contact lenses.
Removing your reliance on these external visual aids could make squinting at your screen and straining to see a thing of the past. And with it, the risk of digital eye strain and its related symptoms may well be reduced.
Jobs that require precision
Many trades, from being a professional athlete to a mechanic, doctor, chef, and physiotherapist, can be made more difficult when relying on visual aids. But there are certain professions for which a certain level of visual acuity is an entry requirement. As a result, some people choose to have Laser Eye Surgery simply to be able to pursue their dream career.
This can include some roles in the army or in piloting. For example, pilots are required to have 20/20 vision and air traffic controllers are also required to have excellent eyesight. But there are many other reasons you might want to ditch the glasses or contact lenses for your career. You may wish to diversify your acting portfolio, become a lifeguard, or appear younger in interviews. Whatever it is, many people have Laser Eye Surgery because it makes them less limited by their biology and freer to live the life they choose.
But for individuals who work in ophthalmology, surely having good vision is also a prerequisite?
Well, not exactly. But as ophthalmic surgeon, Dr Tessalu, found, it can make the job infinitely easier. Peering into various pieces of equipment and assessing patients’ eyes on a daily basis made this all too apparent.
I was really impressed by the results patients showed on the next day. This was not simple monovision. Flying back home I felt that the decision-making process was over for me. In a couple of months I had surgery at the London Vision Clinic. Now, more than six months after surgery, my vision is great, and I can read a newspaper at 15cm. Obviously, I am very glad I did it!
Laser Eye Surgery can be life-transforming in many ways. But it might be the little things that persist day after day, year after year, that leave the most lasting impression. To learn more about our Laser Eye Surgery treatments or to find out if you could be suitable, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today.