Some people think that myopia surgery is worth doing The inconvenience of throwing away glasses and never wearing glasses again is incomparable to other things, but some people think that myopia surgery is not necessary After all, it is possible to be myopic again, and then you have to wear glasses again, everyone has their own ideas, so how long is the "shelf life" of myopia surgery?
Today, experts from Huaihua Aier Eye Hospital are here to tell you.
How to understand the "shelf life" of myopia surgery?
It is recommended to understand it from the following 3 aspects:
1. From the perspective of the purpose of myopia surgery:
Whether it is laser myopia surgery through the cornea or refractive surgery through intraocular lens implantation, the purpose of the surgery is to correct the patient's current myopia, and the main purpose is to help the myopic person no longer rely on glasses, but not permanently**myopia.
2. From the principle of myopia surgery:
Laser myopia surgery mainly involves cutting the corneal stromal tissue to reshape the corneal curvature (eliminate myopia). Usually, the curvature of the cornea does not change after surgery, so regression rarely occurs.
Lens implantation, on the other hand, involves implanting a refractive lens into the eye to provide clear vision. In layman's terms, this refractive lens is like a pair of glasses implanted in the eye that can be used for a lifetime. In other words, after the correction, I basically said goodbye to the glasses.
3. From the perspective of adaptation and postoperative care
Generally speaking, after the age of 18, vision is relatively stable. If you follow the doctor's instructions to use eye drops, have regular check-ups, and develop good eye habits after myopia surgery, your vision will generally not change significantly after surgery.
Therefore, if you are at least 18 years old, have a stable myopia degree in the past two years, and follow the doctor's instructions to use medication and eyes rationally after surgery, the effect of myopia surgery can generally be stable.
Why do some people experience "regression" in their vision after surgery?
First of all, it is necessary to understand that myopia surgery is based on the existing myopia degree for correction, which is like "tailor-made", tailored to the existing "body", but there is no guarantee of future "body change". In other words, surgery cannot shorten the axial growth that is already caused by myopia. The reason for the occurrence of postoperative myopia in individual patients is mostly related to this point.
1. In the short term.
Generally, the "regression" that occurs within 3 to 6 months after surgery is related to corneal wound healing and repair, which may be related to postoperative corneal epithelial remodeling and visual fluctuations caused by dry eye symptoms. This can be controlled by standardizing the use of postoperative eye drops.
2. In the long run.
Unscientific eye habits, which can lead to the emergence of new myopia. For example, some people, after a few months of careful care, start to stay up all night playing games, playing with their mobile phones in the dark... These bad eye habits may lead to the continued growth of the eye axis, resulting in myopia again.
If you don't change your lifestyle, even if you have myopia surgery, your lenses will only be temporary. Therefore, to put it simply, the "regression" of vision after a few years after surgery is most likely due to the re-development of myopia.
Can I have a second surgery after relapse of myopia?
This mainly depends on the thickness of the cornea.
After excluding the "regression" caused by other factors such as corneal epithelium and dry eye, if the prescription is stable and after a period of observation, a comprehensive examination can be performed, and after the cornea is thick enough to meet the conditions for reoperation, another myopia correction surgery can be performed.
But if the cornea is very thin, it can't be done anymore. For example, if you have a high degree before surgery, you usually only have one chance. It is best to do a good job of protecting your eyesight after surgery and avoid secondary surgery.
All in all, the vast majority of patients have a relatively stable refraction after myopia surgery, and the probability of re-myopia is relatively low. However, a small number of patients, especially those with a higher prescription, may become myopic again after a few years, and then they can consider wearing glasses again or undergoing a second surgery, but the second surgery can only be performed if the corneal thickness is tolerated.
Whether you choose to have myopia surgery or not, maintaining a scientific and healthy eye habit is the key to truly benefiting a lifetime.
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