All the publicity given laser surgery to rid oneself of glasses and/or contact lenses can be very misleading.
The reason glasses work, and they have for centuries, is that the prescriptions in the glasses are the opposite of the vision error of the eye. In other words, the glasses neutralize the vision error, permitting the light to go where it is supposed to go.
The function of laser surgery is to modify the curvature of the front surface of the eye, thereby attempting to reduce the visual error caused by the front curvature of the eye.
Because there are more variables that influence good sight than just the curvature of the eye, the claim of laser surgery to allow patients to rid themselves of glasses at its best is misleading.
There could remain a residual amount of astigmatism that would require a correction with glasses, or hyperopia or myopia. In other words, if the laser effects a reduction in the visual error, it may not totally eradicate the error in seeing.
And what about eye coordination and depth perception? These are vision skills dependent upon equal two-eyed seeing. The condition of amblyopia cannot even be addressed. The age of the patient must be considered. Presbyopia takes place inside the lens of the eye–the laser is concerned with the front surface only.
Is the laser technique safe? In skilled hands, yes. Can it result in less dependence on glasses? Depending on the degree of the error and considering the age, health and thickness of the cornea, yes it can result in less dependence on glasses. Can it totally eliminate the need for improved seeing without the need of further correction with or without the laser surgery? The answer is no.
