Laser Eye Surgery - need glasses again.

[goneaway2]

Is it normal to need glasses again a while after laser eye surgery for short-sightedness? I had the surgery about 18 years ago, now have -1 prescription in both eyes and my near sight isn't as good as it used to be.

It can be - refractive surgery only corrects the prescription at the time of surgery. It can’t stop things from changing.

just to clarify - are you finding things in the distance blurred or things close too?

It's the distance and up close, although neither is too bad, I just wear glasses for watching tv, and driving. I wanted glasses to reduce night time driving glare and had noticed things far away were a little blurred, had an eye test because I hadn't had one in years and found I needed them again.

I found that my surgery didn't last and have become long sighted which is common. I was warned that this would happen but unable to wear contacts because of op.

Yes it's not forever. I enjoyed 12 years of great vision then needed glasses again.

I was always told I'd need reading glasses when I got to my 40s - now 52 and just starting to need them. But otherwise, it's been good since I had them zapped nearly 25 years ago.

I was told it wouldn’t be forever. Had 12 years too with no glasses, now wear varifocals.

This has been the experience of a couple of my friends. They’ve had laser but still needed reading glasses at the same time as the rest of us as we got older.

I was told that when I had my surgery ( about 16 years ago) that I might well need reading glasses as I age.
I have done and its easily corrected with cheap glasses.
Laser surgery was one of the best things I ever did.

@Jentefieldroamer refractive surgery doesn't prevent you from being able to wear lenses (unless you had a very old form from the 1970's, which involved making radial incisions in the cornea).

Yes OP it doesn't stop your eyes changing at all.
It also can't stop the age related thickening of the lens which causes you to need reading glasses when you're in your 40's. I'm sure you've noticed that you see even less well close up with your glasses on.

18 years of no glasses though is pretty good.

I would have said 18 years was pretty good going. I wonder if the surgery has changed though as they said that I might need glasses for reading as my eyes age but not for distance again

Yes, I was told that it’s pretty normal to need glasses at a later stage.

I did mine about 10/12 years ago and I’m aware that I do need glasses for driving, seeing the score in the top corner of the tv for sport etc.

Your eyes naturally deteriorate as you age, laser surgery doesn’t stop this

I’m the same, reading glasses now I’m in my 40s

I needed glasses within a couple of years, now 10 years on I'm -1.25 in both eyes. I knew it was a possibility, as although my prescription was stable for 3 years before my surgery, it clear that it may still get worse and there's no way to prevent this.

I'm still happy, although I wish I'd had a few more years before my prescription changed. If I hadn't had the surgery I would be at -8 so still a big difference.

I had lens replacement as I was unsuitable for laser surgery. It’s been great and I was told I’ll never have cataracts as my lenses aren’t organic. This was about 10 years ago.
i was a bit miffed about 18 months ago to be told one lens had become cloudy and it’s not uncommon. I was referred for NHS laser to sharpen my vision but still waiting for an initial appointment. Since then, the other lens has become cloudy. I’ve tried glasses until the laser but they only make my vision worse. Optician says glasses are correct.

@caramac04 it's true that you can't now get cataracts, but you can get posterior capsular opacification on the posterior surface of the implanted lens (the cloudiness you have). Glasses can't correct this.

It shouldn't be taking 18 months to get an appointment though, I would chase this up. It takes about 4 weeks in my area.

@theeyeofdoe I had a few texts asking me if I still want an appointment and I confirmed I do.
I have been away for 5 days and have come home to a letter with an appointment for this Monday. Fingers crossed it’s not another long wait for the actual treatment.

I had 12 years before I realised that my eyesight was deteriorating again. I had an eye test and was just in the legal limit for driving. So I have glasses again, however my eyesight is fine for walking around and going out at night without them and I don’t need prescription sunglasses so can still wear my Chanels😎

I’m at the hospital for my appointment and to my delight I will be having laser surgery today!
I thought it was for an assessment so a happy surprise.

I’m thrilled. 0955 appt. All sorted and laser surgery completed by 10:25
Im having coffee and a tea cake in Morrisons. How fabulous is that service?! I will email my positive experience to the hospital later.

Yes, this has been my experience also. I had laser surgery about 17 years ago, when I was 37. I still needed reading glasses at around 47. I am now slightly short sighted as well, so can't read small text on the TV etc. I have reading glasses for things like PC work or texting. I also sometimes wear varifocal contact lenses, which corrects the vision close up and far away - they are amazing.