Many people hesitate to have LASIK because they fear a poor outcome. A recent study sheds much light on the risk of vision loss with LASIK eye surgery vs contact lens wear.
The significant findings from this study showed that soft contact lens wear posed the same risk of losing vision as LASIK vision correction (as long as the contact lens wearer was fully compliant with lenswear times, replacement schedules, never topped off solution etc..).
If the soft contact lenses wearer was not fully compliant or ever slept in contacts, the risk of vision loss was higher with contacts than with LASIK eye surgery.
This study really shows that traditional fears of vision loss with LASIK are unwarranted. Contact lenses and LASIK are generally considered safe methods of vision correction,but the need for compliance with contact lenses is reinforced in this study.
JCataract Refract Surg. 2009 Nov;35(11):1860-7.
Laser in situkeratomileusis versus long-term contact lens wear: decision analysis.
