LASIK is one of the most popular elective procedures in the United States. Since receiving FDA approval in 1999, LASIK surgeons have performed more than 20 million LASIK procedures in the United States. Despite the popularity of LASIK, 150 million Americans still struggle with a refractive error, a type of vision problem that laser vision surgery can fix.
That means less than 15% of people with myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism have chosen to correct their vision with LASIK.
So, if LASIK is safe, effective, and popular, why haven’t more people undergone this life-changing procedure?
The answer to that question is unique to each person, but some of the most common hurdles LASIK patients report having to overcome include convenience, timing, priority, fear, and cost.
At nJoy Vision, our surgeons have performed more than 25,000 LASIK procedures. And although each and every one of our patients understood the value of clear vision before they came in, not all of them understood the value of LASIK until we were able to put it into perspective.
The Convenience of Clarity
According to MyVision.org, the average American with bad vision starts noticing vision problems at age 15. By the time they’re old enough for LASIK (around 20 years old), many of them are so accustomed to living with poor vision they don’t realize just how convenient life with clear vision is.
Daily contact lens maintenance adds up fast, though. Between the ages of 15 and 40, daily contact lens wearers will spend about 152 hours putting in and taking out their contacts. Glasses wearers will say (jokingly?) they spend as much or more time trying to find their glasses. And that’s not even taking into account the amount of time spent visiting the eye doctor, ordering new contact lenses or frames, and shopping for supplies.
By contrast, the typical LASIK procedure at nJoy Vision lasts just 15 minutes for both eyes. Even when you tack on the time spent at the initial consultation and follow-up appointments, it’s clear that LASIK is more convenient than daily lens wear.
Timing Is of the Essence
It doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday season, sports season, or vacation season, the entire LASIK process—from initial consultation to full recovery—can be scheduled around important plans and events.
Not only is LASIK not painful, most patients fully recover from their procedure within 12 hours and are seeing clearly at 20/20 or better within 24 hours. This means virtually anytime can be LASIK time.
Prioritize More Than Your Eyes
It’s no secret that people value good vision. In fact, a MyVision.org survey shows that most people would choose perfect vision over perfect skin, perfect hair, or an expensive home.
Data from the same study reveals the negative impact that poor vision and corrective lenses can have on a person’s life is more drastic than most people realize. Over 20% of respondents who wear glasses say they have been bullied for their glasses, and a third have even made fun of themselves for wearing glasses and contacts.
Additionally, 33% said bad vision has hurt their social life and affected their ability to work. And more than half said it had kept them from enjoying experiences like concerts and vacations.
Despite the overwhelming desire for clear vision and the struggles glasses and contact-wearers face, many Oklahoma City LASIK candidates still find it difficult to justify laser vision correction when they can get by wearing glasses or contact lenses.
At nJoy Vision, we help our patients prioritize more than just their eyes because freedom from corrective lenses can be integral to living a more fulfilling life.
So Easy It’s Scary
One of the biggest reasons people never follow through with LASIK is fear. But what is there to be afraid of when it comes to finally having great vision without glasses or contact lenses? Quite a lot, as it turns out.
According to MyVision.org, the most common LASIK fears are:
- The potential for error or complications
- Going blind
- Letting a laser touch their eyes
- Going through pain only for it not to work
- Being in debt
- Trusting a doctor or machine to do the surgery correctly
- Pain
Luckily, we can dispel all of these concerns.
For starters, LASIK is incredibly safe and precise. In the past, LASIK was performed using a small blade to create a flap in the cornea so a programmed laser could reshape the cornea to refract light onto the retina correctly. Today’s technological advances give surgeons unprecedented accuracy and precision for a truly customized LASIK experience.
Advancements in LASIK technology include:
- Replacing the blade with a femtosecond laser to create a more precise, less invasive flap.
- Wavefront technology that measures and analyzes the entire eye, inside and out, and programs the excimer laser to precisely reshape the surface of the cornea.
We’ll be the first to admit that the idea of lasers touching your eyeball and reshaping your cornea is a pretty wild concept. But this incredible technology is what makes LASIK possible. Without modern femtosecond and excimer lasers, LASIK would be dangerous, painful, and way less accurate, with longer recovery times and greater chances of complications.
So, if you get hung up on the thought of a laser touching your eyes, we assure you that these lasers are not at all like the red laser beams from sci-fi movies. The energy from LASIK lasers is invisible to the eye. And instead of blowing up planets or spaceships, our lasers make LASIK fast and pain-free.
Another concern many LASIK candidates share is that they’ll go into debt to pay for the procedure. At nJoy Vision, we understand this concern and want to reduce costs and payment insecurities as much as possible for our patients. In addition to running LASIK promotions periodically throughout the year, we provide many patients with convenient financing and savings plans all year long.
We offer 0% down with $0 interest financing through CareCredit and accept FSA and HSA plans. We also work with insurance saving plans (PVCS & VCD) and corporate partner programs, and provide discounts to union, civil service, and military professionals.
Lastly, some patients fear going blind from LASIK. Instances of blindness from LASIK are extremely unlikely. On the contrary, today’s modern technology combined with surgeon experience means the potential for error and complications is incredibly low. Astoundingly, 90% of patients who undergo LASIK end up with 20/20 vision. And about 95% are satisfied with the procedure even when their results were less than 20/20 vision.
The Perception of Cost
Cost is obviously a huge consideration for many LASIK patients and candidates. Ironically, Americans tend to overestimate the cost of LASIK and underestimate eye care expenses.
At nJoy Vision, we help our LASIK patients accurately weigh the cost (and value) of LASIK against the recurring expenses of routine eye exams, eye care products, prescription glasses, and contact lenses.
The average American with bad or corrected vision spends about $500 on vision care every year and over $30,000 during their lifetime. LASIK, however, pays for itself in 10 years or less. Unfortunately, the average LASIK patient doesn’t decide to have LASIK until they’ve already worn glasses or contacts for 16 years. By that time, they’ve already spent more on eye care than they would have spent on LASIK, not to mention all of the valuable time selecting lenses and frames and shopping for cleaners and solutions.
While LASIK is not cheap, the inaccurate perception of its cost ends up costing patients time and money they wish they could get back.
It’s LASIK Time at nJoy Vision
If you’ve been thinking about LASIK for a while but are just waiting for the right time to fire up the lasers, wait no longer. Now that you know how safe, convenient, effective, and even economical LASIK is, you can be confident that anytime is LASIK time!
