If you’ve had a successful LASIK procedure, you may be wondering if it’s time for a touch up. While LASIK has not been proven to affect presbyopia, you may still need to wear reading glasses or contacts after fifteen years. A LASIK touch up, also known as an enhancement, is a minor procedure that can be performed if your vision has begun to change. It may be necessary for patients who have already had their first procedure, or in cases where the original surgery has left an imperfection.
Because LASIK is a permanent procedure, it doesn’t require touch ups every few years. In fact, some patients come back for a touch up even years after their initial procedure because their eyes change with age, refractive error progression, or just because they want to keep the convenience of LASIK. Different doctors have different qualifications for LASIK enhancements. Generally, patients can go back to the surgeon five years after the initial procedure as long as their eyes are healthy.
The visual changes that occur after LASIK are mostly caused by natural aging, which means that the shape of the eye changes over time. While these changes aren’t harmful to the patient, they may increase the need for a LASIK touch up after 15 years. Because of these factors, patients who have undergone a LASIK touch up should wait until the changes have resolved to avoid having to have another procedure.
