Can LASIK Transorm Your Life?

LASIK Can Improve Your Vision and Give You a New Lease on an Active Life; But Be Realistic, Says Dr. Robert Maloney

Dallas, August 30, 2012 – Can LASIK transform your life? In many ways, the answer is yes. The popular vision correction procedure can improve your vision and allow you to pursue activities you couldn’t before.

While it is an excellent procedure, nothing in life is perfect. Not everyone is a candidate for LASIK. And even if you are, your eyesight will still change over time as your eyes age.

Knowing what LASIK can and can’t do is a big part of becoming a satisfied LASIK patient, says noted LASIK surgeon Dr. Robert Maloney, M.D., M.A., a board-certified ophthalmologist.

“LASIK can have a remarkable impact on people’s lives,” says Dr. Maloney. “It can liberate them from – or reduce their dependence on – eyeglasses and contacts, and allow them to pursue active lifestyles where glasses or contacts are problematic. Hundreds of thousands of first responders such as soldiers, firefighter, and policeman protect our country more effectively because of the advantages of LASIK. LASIK has been shown to improve quality of life and self-confidence.”

“But some people get so enthusiastic about LASIK that they forget that while it’s wonderful, it’s still a surgical procedure,” Dr. Maloney says. “As with any medical technology, there are limits to what it can do. Knowing the limitations, finding the right surgeon and having realistic expectations are often the key to a happy LASIK experience.”

According to Dr. Maloney:

• LASIK can improve your vision – sometimes even more than glasses or contact lenses can. “The advantage of LASIK is that you’re correcting the shape of the cornea itself. With glasses or contacts, you’re compensating for the cornea by putting another lens in front of it. That’s not as exact. LASIK allows us to do more precise corrections, and that translates into better vision.”

• LASIK can free you from the inconvenience of glasses or contacts. “Eyeglasses fog and get smudged – they have to be cleaned regularly and they often interfere with an active lifestyle. Contacts can cause irritation and require cleaning and disinfection. With LASIK there are no appliances – we’ve corrected the eye itself, so there’s no hardware to maintain.”

• LASIK can allow you to pursue an active lifestyle. “There are activities where glasses or contacts are an inconvenience or even a barrier. Many people who choose LASIK are athletes or enjoy the outdoors. Swimming, running, skiing, baseball or other sports can be difficult or impossible for people who wear eyeglasses or contacts. With LASIK, people can enjoy them freely – without the hassle or risk of eyewear.”

• LASIK can open up new career possibilities. “There are some high-impact, high-risk careers that can be more difficult to pursue if you wear glasses or contacts. Laser vision correction has opened the door for many to pursue careers of their dreams – from NASA and the U.S. Military to firemen and police officers,” said Dr. Maloney.

At the same time, Dr. Maloney says, it’s important to keep in mind that there are things LASIK can’t do:

• LASIK can’t promise permanent results for all patients. Eventually, you may need reading glasses. “Even if you’ve had LASIK, your eyes may continue to change over time as it ages, and your vision will change. If you have LASIK when you’re young, for example, it’s possible that someday when you’re older, you’ll need reading glasses. LASIK can improve your vision, but it can’t keep your eye from aging.”

• LASIK is surgery and there is a recovery period. “LASIK is surgery, and as with any surgery, there is a recovery process. While most people see better immediately after LASIK, in the first few weeks, people can experience dry eye, glare and halos. These typically resolve on their own or with additional treatment.”

• LASIK isn’t risk-free. “All surgery carries risk, and LASIK is no exception. If you’re considering LASIK, you should talk with your surgeon about the risks so you can make a fully informed decision about whether LASIK is right for you.”

• LASIK isn’t for everyone. “Unfortunately, some people are not good candidates for LASIK. If your corneas are too thin or irregular, or if you have eye diseases like glaucoma, or autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, you may not be able to benefit from LASIK.”

Dr. Maloney says that understanding what LASIK can and can’t do, and knowing what to expect from LASIK, are essential to having a satisfying LASIK experience. “Often when people are dissatisfied with LASIK, it’s because their expectations were unrealistic or inaccurate, or because a LASIK practice gave them a hard sell instead of a full counseling session. If you’re considering LASIK, it’s important to do your homework – visit the ARSC website at www.americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org, along with other resources such as EyeSurgeryEducation.org, talk to people you know who’ve had LASIK, and most important, talk at length with your surgeon. Make sure you understand the limitations of LASIK and also its many dramatic benefits. You’ll be a more satisfied LASIK patient as a result.”

For more information, or to schedule an interview or bylined article, contact Liana Miller of Engaged Communication at 949-276-8920 or liana@engagedcommunication.net

About Dr. Robert Maloney, M.D., M.A.

Robert K. Maloney, MD, MA (Oxon), is a former Rhodes Scholar and Summa Cum Laude graduate of Harvard University. He completed his education at Oxford University and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Maloney was the first surgeon in western North America to perform LASIK surgery as part of the original FDA clinical trials. He is a Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at UCLA and the director of the Maloney Vision Institute, in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Maloney has trained more than 700 surgeons in the use of the excimer laser and has personally performed more than 50,000 vision correction surgeries.

The recipient of the prestigious 2001 Lans Distinguished Award, presented by the International Society of Refractive Surgery, for his innovative contributions to the field of vision-correction surgery, Dr. Maloney has published more than 100 articles, abstracts, and reports in professional journals and has delivered more than 200 invited lectures on five continents.

Dr. Maloney is a co-founder of Focus on Independence, a non-profit organization that offers free LASIK surgery nationwide to quadriplegic patients.

About ARSC

The American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC) is a cooperative working group made up of refractive surgery industry representatives and medical professionals.  ARSC promotes the interests and general welfare of the refractive surgery industry in the United States.  Its primary function is to educate the public about the safety, clinical outcomes and lifestyle benefits of refractive surgery, including LASIK and refractive intraocular lens implants, and supporting research into laser- and IOL-based refractive technologies.

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