Is LASIK Worth It? How LASIK Can Change Your Life?

Are you tired of wearing glasses or contacts every day? Has wearing eyeglasses held you back from your career or recreational activities? Have you ever felt self-conscious about wearing eyeglasses? Do you wish you didn’t have to keep shelling out more money for new contact lenses and supplies? Do you worry about possibly facing an emergency situation someday and not being able to function without your glasses? If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, LASIK eye surgery may be just the solution you’ve been looking for.

“LASIK eye surgery can drastically improve your quality of life by giving you the freedom of naturally good vision,” says ophthalmologist Dr. Farooq Ashraf, medical director of the Atlanta Vision Institute. “LASIK is a quick and painless surgery, after which many patients experience immediate improvement of their vision. Often people are absolutely astounded by just how much 20/20 eyesight adds to their quality of life.”

The Benefits of LASIK Eye Surgery

The obvious benefit of having LASIK surgery is your vision drastically improves. Suddenly you can see everything so much more clearly—the leaves budding in the trees, the smile on your child’s face, the moon in the sky or the field full of sunflowers—everything is much more spectacular when you can take in the very smallest details, and see what’s off on the horizon too.

Of course, there are more benefits to LASIK surgery than simply having improved vision. It can open up the doors for many opportunities you may have avoided prior to having the procedure because of the inconveniences or impracticability of wearing contacts or glasses.

Certain types of sports or recreational pursuits can also be nearly impossible to do or have added hassles when wearing glasses or contacts. For instance, if you are motorcycling or bicycling and you wear contacts, your eyes can dry out. Some people even have difficulty keeping their contacts in! Cyclists must buy specialty goggles to protect their glasses, but this is not an effective solution for everyone. Other sports like running, gymnastics, skating, surfing and swimming can also be very challenging to try to do while wearing glasses or contact lenses.

Many of Dr. Ashraf’s patients have reported that they now try new endeavors or worry less while doing activities they enjoy. This was the case with one of Dr. Ashraf’s patients, who was an avid cyclist and rode his bike to work every day. “This particular patient was extremely uncomfortable with contacts, so he wore glasses,” relates Dr. Ashraf. “But wearing glasses made biking difficult and at times unsafe because glasses do not provide adequate peripheral vision and can be insecure, even with a strap. After this patient’s LASIK surgery, he felt much better about biking on busy roads because he trusted his vision more, and he was also no longer encumbered by his glasses.”

LASIK can also provide a much-needed confidence boost. While some people may think of their glasses as a fashion statement and actually like wearing them, for others, having to wear glasses causes insecurity.

“A lot of people tell us that their confidence level goes up when they no longer have to wear glasses,” Dr. Ashraf says. “Many people find they are more outgoing. That could be a matter of them feeling more confident in themselves or that they feel better able to do things that they didn’t use to do because they are no longer restricted by their poor eyesight or eyewear.”

One other very important benefit of LASIK to many people is that it can create new job opportunities. Certain careers are very difficult to pursue people who wear glasses or contacts. For example, pilots and emergency workers must have nearly perfect vision and be able to pass a vision test—without wearing corrective lenses.

Other times, wearing glasses just make certain types of work more challenging. Cooks and chefs may have a difficult time doing their jobs if their glasses fog up. Other jobs might require you to work outdoors in harsh weather conditions or in tight spaces, or protective eyewear may need to be worn, all of which can become complicated when you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses. LASIK removes these issues and allows you to focus on the job at hand.

One career that is especially well-suited for laser eye surgery is the United States Army. To date, over 160,000 US Army service members have successfully undergone corneal refractive laser surgery. The United States Army Warfighter Refractive Eye Surgery Program was designed to reduce the limitations of corrective eyewear in combat soldiers. One option is to wear eyeglasses, but this can pose risks in harsh environments, may become damaged, or get in the way of protective gear such as face masks. On the other hand, contact lens wear is not authorized in combat zones. Because of this, having LASIK may offer significant advantages as it improves battle readiness of service members, with minimal complications or negative impact on military operations.

Experience You Can Trust!

At the Atlanta Vision Institute, we feel honored and privileged to play a role in so many patients’ LASIK journeys. We have witnessed first-hand the amazing transformation that our patients experience after vision correction surgery, and we urge anyone who has had enough of wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses to explore their LASIK options.

But even if you have decided you’re ready to check out LASIK, who do you go to? Truth be told, many people are fearful of undergoing LASIK. The “horror stories” are out there, especially on the internet. Of course, many of so-called “bad experiences” are unfounded or blown out of proportion. Still, you may worry about finding a surgeon you can trust.

If these are your concerns and you live in the Atlanta area, consider Dr. Ashraf for your LASIK procedure. Dr. Ashraf understands the anxieties and misconceptions many people have about LASIK. Furthermore, he has the experience and the right focus on patient care that allow him to alleviate his patients’ fears and put them at ease.
“We offer a very customized and unrushed approach with our patients, which makes our practice a bit unique compared to other laser centers,” says Dr. Ashraf. “We realize every patient has different needs and concerns, so we take the time with them to address all their questions and concerns. The trend today is for physicians to spend less time with their patients so they can hurry and get to another patient. We don’t do that. I give my patients all the time they need, so they can ask all of their questions and get the information they need. These days, people really respond to that.”

Another reason to feel confident going to Dr. Ashraf for your LASIK surgery is he uses the most reliable, cutting-edge technology. This technology changes almost yearly, much like cell phones or computers. Dr. Ashraf takes pride in updating his lasers for increased safety and precision, and he does so more frequently than most clinics. This leads to improved results, and he wants the absolute best for his patients.

Take The Next Step to Better Vision

LASIK eye surgery can change your life for the better, all in about 20 minutes. If you would like to learn more about LASIK or want to schedule your surgery, be sure to book a consultation with Dr. Ashraf. Here at the Atlanta Vision Institute, we want to make a positive impact in your life, and we want you to feel confident in your choice of LASIK surgeon. Please call us at (770) 622-2488  to complete the first step of your journey to clear vision.