Will LASIK Immediately Clear Up Your Vision?

LASIK is a common vision-correcting procedure that has given millions of people clearer vision. It has been performed since 1996 and continues to be one of the most frequently performed eye procedures still today. Rarely do we hear anything but good things about LASIK, because laser vision correction is so streamlined and efficient that there are virtually no downsides. Those who have had the procedure done on their eyes feed this perception, which is advantageous in many ways. But there’s one little thing that people do tend to forget, and it can seem alarming to patients who are just coming out of their procedure. We want to discuss that here.

We’re not about to tell you that LASIK doesn’t work. We are a LASIK center, after all, because the procedure absolutely does work. What we want to tell you is that your vision may not be as crisp and clear immediately after your procedure as you envision it will be. There’s a reason why people expect this and also a reason why it doesn’t happen.

Why the Myth?

With LASIK being so incredibly popular, you would think someone would have mentioned that there was some lag time in between their procedure and their vision being crystal-clear, wouldn’t you? There are reasons that nobody “warns you” about this.

When a person has LASIK, they are usually very excited. We have firsthand knowledge of this so we can tell you with full confidence. When a person is excited about any event, and the outcome of that event is good, what they remember is that they were excited and that the outcome was good. They don’t remember the details. Additionally, in most cases, a person who has LASIK will, in fact, be able to see more clearly when they look across the room right after their procedure. They can see more clearly, but through a haze, and this is what they forget.

Why is Vision Hazy after LASIK?

Virtually every patient who undergoes LASIK will seem to be looking through a dirty window after their procedure. The reason why is because we use a lot of saline to clear and clean the eyes during the procedure. The cornea at the front of the eye absorbs water. You may have experienced something like this when you have swum underwater with your eyes open. The cornea flushes water out naturally, but it takes time. Until it does, vision is sharper but not necessarily clear. This is completely normal and only temporary. Usually, by bedtime, patients have the exact vision they had been expecting (another reason they forget to tell others about that little detail of haziness).

Are you interested in LASIK? Call our Winchester, VA office at (540) 722-6200 to schedule your visit to learn more.