There is a widely held belief that wearing contact lenses is safer than laser eye surgery. Some wearers of contacts even think that by doing so, they are saving themselves money. However, when you compare the risks and costs associated with both, you may be surprised at which option comes out on top.
Contacts and laser eye surgery are not inherently dangerous, but when you compare the two, laser eye surgery has a lower risk. If you are wondering how a complex procedure that requires a skilled eye surgeon can be less risky than putting in contacts every day, here are a few key things to point out:
1. Long Term Results – Contacts only correct your vision while they are in your eyes. The moment you remove them, your vision is back to what it was. Laser eye surgery, on the other hand, instantly corrects and can permanently reduce or eliminate the need for corrective lenses.
2. Risk of Infection – Contacts are foreign objects that you place into your eyes. If you do not properly sanitize a lens or wash your fingers before putting one in, you greatly increase the likelihood of an infection. With laser eye surgery, there is very little risk for post-op infection.
3. Prescription Needs Will Change – Over time, you may notice that your contact prescription needs to be changed. With laser eye surgery, changes may occur as you age, but instead of paying for a new surgery, the surgical centre will often correct those changes for free.
4. You Spend More on Contacts in the Long Run – If you compare the costs over a lifetime, you will spend significantly more renewing your contact prescription than making a one-time investment in laser eye surgery.
Where you get your laser eye surgery done is of great significance too. It is important you pick a skilled surgical centre with the latest technologies and the highest patient satisfaction rates. The surgeons at Optilase can help you reduce your monthly contacts costs and improve your vision.