LASIK Surgery Statistics

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Patients who are considering undergoing LASIK laser eye surgery to correct their vision should research the procedure and local surgeons with great care. Such patients will find the following LASIK surgery statistics beneficial to their search.

LASIK Complications - Statistics

More than one million patients undergo the LASIK procedure in the United States each year. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that LASIK eye surgery complications occur in 1 to 5 percent of cases. According to the FDA’s LASIK surgery statistics:

• Glare and sensitivity to light affect 1.7 percent of LASIK patients.
• Visual fluctuations occur in 2.6 percent of LASIK patients.
• Halos around light sources are experienced by 3.5 percent of patients.
• About 3 percent of patients report vision worse than before LASIK.

Talk to your local surgeon about his or her personal LASIK surgery statistics and typical results for patients. Laser eye surgery complications, statistics, and results do vary among surgeons so it is important to discuss your surgeon’s experience in the field.

Visual Improvement after LASIK Surgery

The American Association of Professional Eyecare Specialists (AAPECS) concluded in a recent study of LASIK surgery statistics that 55.3 percent of LASIK patients achieve visual acuity of 20/20 or better, while 92.6 percent of patients achieve vision of 20/40 or better. However, other sources contend that the national average of patients who achieve 20/20 vision or better after LASIK is closer to 85 percent.

There is no national database for LASIK surgery statistics. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) measures LASIK results in relation to the specific laser used to complete the procedure, but does not compile results to reach an estimated national average of visual improvement after LASIK. When researching LASIK surgery statistics, patients may notice that some sources report success rates for patients achieving 20/20 vision, while others report success rates for patients achieving vision of 20/40 or better. This is because the minimum visual acuity required for drivers in most of the United States is 20/40. Since vision often improves in the months following LASIK laser eye surgery, many studies measure vision improvement immediately following surgery, several days after the procedure, and then at one, three, six, and twelve months after surgery.

Although nationally collected LASIK surgery statistics can give patients a good idea of the results they can expect after LASIK surgery, it is important that patients question surgeons about their individual LASIK statistics to determine who is best qualified to treat them.

Find a LASIK Surgeon through DocShop

It is important to make an educated decision when choosing a LASIK surgeon or choosing to undergo a medical procedure. Now that you have reviewed LASIK surgery statistics, use DocShop's online directory to contact a highly qualified surgeon in your area.