How successful is LASIK?

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Dr. Carter has performed over tens of thousands LASIK procedures with outstanding results...one patient at a time. Virtually all of Dr. Carter's LASIK patients are 20/40 or better; this is good enough to pass a driver's license exam in most states with no corrective restrictions. In addition, more than 92% of Dr. Carters LASIK patients see 20/25 or better.

When custom wavefront-guided LASIK is performed, results are even better than with traditional LASIK. Many people especially notice the extra improvement when they’re driving at night.

One recent study found that 44% of the eyes treated with custom LASIK had vision of 20/15 or better without glasses or contacts, after 3 months. The same study also found that 92% were 20/20 and 100% were 20/25 or better without glasses or contacts, after 3 months.

A study performed recently by the U.S. Navy found that of their sailors who had wavefront-guided LASIK:

85% of 908 patients had 20/16 vision; and
97% of 34 patients achieved 20/20 or better.

By comparison, only 69 % of conventional LASIK patients had 20/16 vision six months after their procedures.

When considering these study results and the percentages of people who achieve 20/20 vision or better, keep in mind that the selection of study candidates will affect the study results. Some people are more likely to have better visual acuity after LASIK, whether wavefront or traditional, than others. Not everyone is an ideal candidate for LASIK treatments, and Dr. Carter will examine your vision thoroughly before proceeding with LASIK.