Is LASIK Permanent? Your Complete Guide to Long-Term Results
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Hello! I’m Dr. Rajesh Kapoor from Suruchi Eye Hospital in Navi Mumbai. Every week, patients ask me the same question: “Will my LASIK results last forever?”
It’s a fair question. You’re considering eye surgery. You want to know what you’re getting into.
Let me give you the straight answer, and then we’ll dig deeper.
The Direct Answer: Yes and No
Here’s what I tell my patients: LASIK permanently reshapes your cornea. That part doesn’t reverse. The correction we make stays.
But your eyes? They keep ageing. Just like the rest of your body.
Think of it like this. LASIK is like getting your house repainted. The paint job is permanent. But that doesn’t mean your house will never need maintenance again.
Let’s break this down question by question.
What Does LASIK Actually Fix Forever?
During LASIK, I reshape the front surface of your eye—the cornea. I use a laser to remove tiny amounts of tissue carefully. This changes how light enters your eye.
That reshaping is permanent. The tissue doesn’t grow back. Your nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism gets corrected at the corneal level.
Most of my patients enjoy clear vision for many years. We’re talking decades in most cases.
How Long Will My Vision Stay Clear?
Here’s what research shows us. About 90-95% of my patients maintain their vision improvement for 10 years or more. Many go 20+ years without any issues.
But “excellent results” doesn’t always mean “perfect forever.” Let me explain why.
The Reading Glass Needed as You Age (And Why It's Not a LASIK Failure)
Suppose you get LASIK at age 30. Your vision is crystal clear. You’re thrilled.
Fast forward 15 years. You’re 45. Suddenly, you’re holding your phone at arm’s length to read texts.
Did your LASIK fail? Absolutely not.
It is due to presbyopia. It happens to everyone, LASIK or no LASIK.
What Is Presbyopia?
Inside your eye sits a natural lens. When you’re young, it’s flexible like a rubber band. It changes shape to help you focus up close.
Around age 40-45, that lens gets stiff like an old rubber band that’s lost its stretch. It can’t focus on nearby objects anymore.
That’s presbyopia. It has nothing to do with your cornea or your LASIK surgery.
Will LASIK Make Me Need Reading Glasses Sooner?
No. You’ll need them at the same age you would have anyway.
The only difference? Before LASIK, you couldn’t see far OR near without glasses. After LASIK, you can see far perfectly, but later need help with reading.
That’s still a win in my book.
Can My Original Prescription Come Back?
Good question. This is called regression.
In a small percentage of patients (about 1-5%), some of the original prescription can return. This usually happens within the first year after surgery.
Why does this happen? Sometimes the eye heals in a way that causes minor changes. For example, if you were -6.00 before LASIK, you might end up with -0.50 after a few years.
Still much better than before! And if you had a more substantial number before surgery (like -8.00 or -10.00), there’s a slightly higher chance of this happening.
But here’s the good news: we can often do an enhancement procedure. A quick touch-up that fine-tunes your vision again.
When Can You Get a Touch-Up?
Most enhancements happen within 1-2 years of the original surgery. But I’ve performed touch-ups for patients even 10-15 years after the initial treatment.
Your eye needs to be stable. We do thorough testing before any enhancement.
What About Other Eye Problems?
Let me clear up some confusion.
Does LASIK Prevent Cataracts?
No. Cataracts develop in the natural lens inside your eye. LASIK works on the cornea, the outer surface of the eye.
They’re in completely different parts of your eye. LASIK doesn’t increase or decrease your risk of cataracts.
What About Glaucoma?
LASIK doesn’t cause glaucoma. It doesn’t protect against it either.
Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve, often associated with elevated eye pressure. Again, totally different from what LASIK does.
Can I Have Cataract Surgery After LASIK?
Yes! I perform cataract surgery on post-LASIK patients regularly.
LASIK doesn’t prevent you from getting other eye treatments later in life. It just requires some special calculations during cataract surgery to choose the right lens implant.
What Makes LASIK Results Last Longer?
Several factors influence how long your results stay sharp.
Your age matters. Patients in their mid-20s to early 40s typically have the most stable results. Your prescription is stable. Your eyes aren’t dealing with presbyopia yet.
Prescription stability is key. If your glasses prescription changed every year before LASIK, we need to wait until it’s stable. Otherwise, your eyes might keep changing after surgery.
Your overall eye health counts. Conditions like dry eye or thin corneas can affect long-term results. That’s why we do such thorough pre-surgery testing at Suruchi Eye Hospital.
Should You Get LASIK When You're Younger or Older?
There’s a sweet spot. Usually between 25 and 40 years old.
Too young? Your prescription might still be changing. We need at least 1-2 years of stability.
Too old? You’re already dealing with presbyopia. LASIK can still help, but you’ll need reading glasses right away. We might suggest monovision (one eye for distance, one for near) or other options.
Every patient is different. That’s why I do detailed consultations.
How Can You Protect Your LASIK Results?
Want your results to last as long as possible? Here’s my advice:
Wear sunglasses. UV rays can damage your eyes over time. Good sunglasses aren’t just for style.
Come for regular eye exams. I recommend yearly checkups. We catch small changes early.
Manage dry eyes. Use artificial tears if needed. Dry eyes can affect your vision quality.
Maintain stable overall health. Conditions like diabetes can affect your eyes. Keep them under control.
Don’t rub your eyes, especially in the first few months after surgery.
The Bottom Line
Is LASIK surgery permanent? Yes. The corneal correction is permanent.
Is LASIK permanent or temporary for perfect vision? It’s complicated. The correction lasts, but your eyes keep ageing.
Most of my patients enjoy 10-20+ years of clear distance vision. Some need minor touch-ups. Nearly everyone will need reading glasses eventually, just like people who never had LASIK.
Think of LASIK as an incredible long-term investment in your vision. Not a magic spell that freezes your eyes in time forever.
Your Next Step
Still have questions? That’s completely normal.
At Suruchi Eye Hospital in Navi Mumbai, I spend time with each patient. We discuss your specific eye needs, lifestyle, and expectations.
LASIK isn’t right for everyone. But when it is, the results can be life-changing.
Let’s talk about whether LASIK is right for you. Your eyes deserve the best care.