During LASIK in Billings, our doctors use the latest laser technology to carefully and effectively reshape your cornea to improve vision. LASIK has proven to be an incredibly safe procedure. Studies show that 55% of all LASIK patients achieve vision of 20/20 or better and 93% of patients achieve 20/40 or better.

While LASIK is considered to be highly successful, not every patient experiences the crisp vision they desire. Up to 10% of those that have a LASIK procedure will need to undergo a second surgery in order to get the results that they were hoping for.

LASIK success may vary depending on several factors:

• Those who are under the age of 18 are rarely good candidates for the surgery because their vision is typically still changing.
• Women who are pregnant or are nursing may experience vision changes and are therefore not well-suited for LASIK.
• There are a number of prescription medications that could have an impact on the successfulness of the surgical procedure, including oral steroids like prednisone.
• Patients with dry eye may not be ideal LASIK candidates because the surgery will exacerbate dry eye symptoms.
• Those who are diabetic or have lupus, glaucoma, cataracts and retinal disease should be sure to discuss their unique situation with their LASIK surgeon.

While some of these concerns may not exclude patients from qualifying for LASIK, it is always best to mention all potential concerns to your surgeon so that the best possible results can be had from the surgery.

Always be sure to discuss your expectations about LASIK with your surgeon. Realistic expectations will ensure that you are not disappointed with the results that your LASIK surgery yields.

LASIK is very successful in the majority of cases, which means that if your surgeon deems you to be a good candidate for the procedure, it is likely that you will experience positive results. The closer you follow post-surgery instructions, the better your chances of a full recovery will be. Remember that you will likely see good improvement in your vision almost immediately after the surgery, and your vision will continue to improve over the months that follow.

To schedule a LASIK consultation with one of our doctors, contact The Eye Clinic Surgicenter at 406-252-6608 or theeyeclinicsurgicenter.com today.