If you've had Lasik eye surgery, do you have to get it again when you get older?

Our chief surgeon, Dr. J. Trevor Woodhams, answers this frequently asked question from Quora.com

LASIK should not be thought of as some sort of "magic wand" that cures vision problems forever. It is a microsurgical procedure that permanently alters the shape of your cornea to optimize its focus on your retina-that's it. While the cornea is of paramount importance in the eye's focus, the natural lens is just as important in its own way -and this lens is not affected by LASIK.

While the focus of the post-LASIK cornea does not really change much later in life (in most cases), the functioning of the natural lens definitely does. As you age into your 40s, the natural lens hardens and begins to discolor. These changes, as they advance with further age, are what will change your vision in a way that may make it seem as if your LASIK is "wearing off."

While it is possible to sometimes temporarily counter (not cure) these changes with further laser vision correction to the cornea, the lens changes of age (e.g. Presbyopia and cataract) will always eventually undermine the effects of LASIK to some degree. It may not be the best thing to pursue further LASIK in these cases, especially in one's 50s and 60s. Many patients of this age elect to address the presbyopia problem by having PreLex™, which stands for presbyopic lens exchange. You can learn about in this video if you are interested.