How long should I allow for my vision to stabilise after LASIK before going for LASIK enhancement?

Hi Elaine

It is important to consider if one’s vision has stabilized after the original LASIK surgery before undergoing LASIK enhancement. There is NO definite duration of time, but in general at least 3 months after LASIK, would be the approximate period.

Nevertheless, the duration after the initial LASIK surgery, is not the most important factor to consider. If there are still changes seen in the spectacles prescription after 3 months, it will not be advisable to undergo LASIK enhancement despite the time duration.

If you are keen for a LASIK enhancement, you will need to consult your doctor and be assessed for necessity and suitability for an enhancement. More importantly, it is to ensure that your spectacles prescription has stabilized despite the duration after the original LASIK surgery.

Do discuss these with your doctor, as your doctor will be the best person to determine the timing for the enhancement

Enhancement after LASIK surgery requires time to ensure that the residual refractive errors are stable before going in for another round of laser. Usually, this may take as long as 4 months after the first LASIK procedure.

What most surgeons are looking for are about 3 consecutive monthly readings of your refractive error before one can confidently apply those readings for the enhancement treatment.

I would say that 2 months may seem like a reasonable length of time after Lasik refractive surgery for the refraction to stabilise.

However I routinely advise my patients to wait a minimum of 3 months after uneventful Lasik (and even longer if they have received adjunctive procedures including collagen cross-linking at the same sitting), to ensure that their refraction has stabilised, before considering any enhancement procedure.

Most importantly, you should demonstrate a stable refractive error before deciding on the appropriate time to consider enhancement. Certainly this would not be done before 3 months after the initial surgery, and best decided together with your surgeon. Best of luck with your enhancement, if at all even required!

ESG