LASIK RESULTS 7 YEAR POST-OP

Postoperatively, best corrected visual acuity was obtained at 2 months, 2 years, and at last follow-up, respectively. Spherical equivalent was within 0.50 diopters (roughly 20/25-20/30 vision) in 75% of patients at 2 months, 63% at 2 years, and 42% at 7 to 8 years. Mean spherical equivalent was about -0.50 at 2 years and -1.37 diopters (roughly 20/40ish) at 7-8 years. Patient satisfaction was high—100% of patients would have LASIK again.

LASIK outcomes tend to shift toward undercorrection over time. Postoperative ectasia was not noted 7 to 8 years after LASIK. All patients were satisfied with the postoperative results although emmetropia was not reached. [J Refract Surg. 2009;25:312-318.]

With this information, it may be worth it to overcorrect a patient about -0.50 to -0.75 D originally to accommodate for this shift. However, more studies should confirm these findings.