The first laser eye surgery was performed in 1987. Since then, millions of laser eye surgeries have been done all over the world. Pretty incredible, right? Well, we’ve got ten more amazing laser eye surgery facts you might not believe, but are true!
Want more information about laser eye surgery? Looking to book a free consultation to see if PRK, Lasik, or some other procedure might be right for you? Contact the experts at BoydVision to get started.
1. A Thanksgiving Day turkey was carved with an early laser.
Rangaswamy Srinivasan, an IBM researcher who helped develop a laser to etch accurate patterns in circuit boards, speculated that lasers could also be used on organic tissue. Rangaswamy and his team at IBM experimented with the remains of his family’s Thanksgiving Day turkey and proved that this was indeed possible.
Even more incredible is the fact that the ultraviolet excimer laser they used was able to etch living tissue accurately without causing any thermal damage to the surrounding area. The year was 1981!
2. Celebrities get laser eye surgery too!
Many celebrities opt for laser eye surgery. The list includes:
- Courtney Cox
- Nicole Kidman
- Brad Pitt
- Lebron James
- Elton John
- Reese Witherspoon
- Kim Kardashian
- Dennis Quaid
- Richard Branson
The list of celebs goes on and on. Celebrities get laser eye surgery for a variety of reasons. Actors might get it done for increased role versatility. Musicians get laser eye surgery so they can see their fans while on stage without worrying about their glasses falling off or their contacts getting irritated. And some celebs might just not want the hassle of glasses or contacts!
3. Laser eye surgery is faster than you imagine.
You might be surprised to learn that laser eye surgery is quick. The laser is only on for a few seconds. That’s all it takes to reshape your corneas for clear vision! The whole procedure typically takes only minutes.
4. Laser eye surgery has the highest patient satisfaction rating of any elective surgery.
From a 2015 study, 96% of patients who had laser eye surgery were satisfied with the results. This exceeds all other elective surgery satisfaction ratings. At BoydVision, there are a few reasons for this. For starters, we’re not set on convincing everyone to get laser eye surgery; we will not perform a procedure on someone who isn’t the right candidate. We are selective with our patients, ensuring that their vision is stable, that they are healthy, and that their eyes will respond positively to the treatment.
At BoydVision, we also only offer custom laser eye surgeries versus standard procedures. This improves the overall results post-op. Recently we’ve introduced Femto-Lasik, our most advanced form of Lasik yet, which further improves patient satisfaction!
5. Laser eye surgeons are medical doctors.
To be a laser eye surgeon, a person must be an MD. Opticians and optometrists can help with certain areas of eyecare, but only an ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who has specialized in eye and vision care and can perform surgery. This requires a 5-year ophthalmologist residency program after graduating from medical school.
Some ophthalmologists become involved with researching eye diseases and vision disorders, and some open up laser eye surgery clinics to help people improve their vision!
6. Laser eye surgery is over 30 years old.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, the first laser eye surgery was performed in 1987. Then, in 1995, the FDA approved PRK surgery. Since then, there have been millions of operations worldwide. Dr. Boyd alone has performed thousands of laser eye surgeries with a high level of success and patient satisfaction.
7. You can be too young for laser eye surgery.
There is a lot of discussion as to whether people can be too old for laser eye surgery. Luckily, if you’re in good health and have stable vision, we can often find a laser eye surgery operation to fit your needs.
However, most people don’t know that you can be too young for laser eye surgery, even well into your twenties. At BoydVision, we typically don’t offer laser eye surgery to anyone under the age of 19. Plus we only have a few select cases of performing operations on people in their early twenties. Up until your mid to late twenties your vision hasn’t fully stabilized, which means you’re not a great candidate for laser eye surgery.
8. Perfect vision is required for certain jobs.
There are quite a few jobs where perfect vision is essential. If you’d like to be one of the following, you’ll need to have razor-sharp vision without the aid of glasses or contacts:
- Air force pilot
- Airline pilot
- Air traffic controller
- Firefighter
Only perfect vision will do in these occupations. There is also a plethora of jobs that require great vision. Some employers might not require perfect vision, but it definitely helps. Here are some examples of jobs where clear vision is an asset:
- Police officer
- Lifeguard
- Construction worker
- Photographer
- Surgeon
- Paramedic
9. Laser eye surgery recovery is quick.
Some people can get back to their routine a day or two after their laser eye surgery. We do recommend you take it easy for a while. We want your eyes and vision to be fully restored before you stare at a computer screen or head out for a heavy workout. These activities can strain your eyes. But, for the most part, eyes heal quite quickly!
10. Laser eye surgery is cheaper in the long run.
The upfront cost of laser eye surgery often puts people off of the procedure. However, looking at the long run, quality laser eye surgery can save you money. No more glasses and no more contacts to worry about⏤just freedom!
Want to learn more about laser eye surgery?
Want to know more about PRK, Lasik, or any other laser eye surgery? Contact BoydVision for a free consultation. We’ll help identify which procedure is right for you, and you’ll also get a chance to speak with Dr. Boyd. To get started, give us a call at 604.430.9560 or fill out our laser eye surgery contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you!