All of us prefers the convenience of clear vision, but we weren’t all blessed with the gift of 20/20 eyesight. Whether you were born with vision problems or they developed over time, you must have felt that corrective lenses are required for you to enjoy everyday life. Although many people with vision problems wear contact lenses, there are risks that accompany the benefits of contacts. In comparison to glasses, contacts are more convenient, provide better field-of-view, and increase peripheral awareness. However, there are plentiful negative aspects of wearing contacts, when used incorrectly.

LASIK and other laser vision correction procedures have very high success rates. But these procedures can't produce perfect vision for everyone. The results depend a great deal on the unique way your corneas respond to laser energy and the way your eyes heal after surgery. LASIK and other procedures also can sometimes cause irregular astigmatism, leading to blurred and/or distorted vision.

LASIK with other laser vision correction procedures restructure your eye's front surface by removing microscopic amounts of tissue from the cornea. Rarely, this can cause irregularities in the shape of the cornea making your vision less distinct after surgery than it was when you wore glasses or contact lenses before the procedure.

These irregularities can sometimes be corrected with a follow-up laser procedure called an enhancement. But if your cornea found to be too thin for a second surgery, or any other problems rule out an enhancement procedure, GP or hybrid contact lenses may be your best solution.

Contact Lens Risks

•         Using contact lenses can cause several serious eye conditions including infections, corneal abrasions, and ulcers. These conditions might develop at different rates for individuals and could damage their eyes. In some extreme cases, these conditions can lead to permanent blindness.
•         Symptoms of eye irritation could indicate a more serious problem. So, always try to search out a diagnosis from an eye care professional to determine whether your eye irritation is developing into a serious problem.
•         Contact lenses are expensive. If you are using disposable contact lenses daily and substitute them every two weeks — the most common lens replacement schedule recommended by eye doctors —approximately $250 of expenditure can be expected for a year’s supply of lenses. Depending on your specific eye complications, wearing contact lenses can cost you even more.
•         It has been found that contact lens wearers are 10 times more likely to experience significant vision loss or blindness from wearing contact lenses than from having LASIK eye surgery.While complications from contact lenses build up over years, those from LASIK eye surgery arise over a brief time and heal quickly.

LASIK Risks

Some risks of LASIK that help you determine whether eye surgery is right for you or not may include:

•         Surgery might induce dryness in eyes and cause some haloes for a brief period of time after surgery.
•         It can cause complications such as infection. However, these risks are actually less than those associated with contact lens wear.
•         As far as the costs are concerned, LASIK requires a substantial upfront expense of $2,100 per eye, on an average. However, for those who wear contact lenses, the advantage over time has value.

The prevalent use of contacts indicates that many people are willing to take some risks to correct their vision. In the same way, laser eye surgery is a relatively a less risky option than a lifetime wearing contact lenses, according to several studies. With technological advances such as faster, blade-free lasers, and more experienced surgeons, laser eye surgery is becoming a preferred option for improving eyesight.

Improving your vision with LASIK would substantially reduce the risk of damage to your eyes and reduce the expenses required for clear vision.