- LASIK reshapes the cornea to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism – it does not affect the natural lens where cataracts form.
- Cataracts are caused by aging, genetics, and other risk factors, independent of LASIK.
- LASIK does not raise or lower your chance of getting cataracts.
- Past LASIK requires extra precision when calculating IOL power for cataract surgery, but experienced surgeons using tools like the ORA System can achieve excellent outcomes.
- Healthy habits (UV protection, good nutrition, not smoking) may help delay cataract formation, but they cannot prevent cataracts entirely.
LASIK is a popular type of refractive eye surgery that uses advanced technology to address multiple refractive errors, offering millions of patients unprecedented freedom from glasses or contact lenses. Beyond vision correction, you may be wondering whether LASIK can also help keep cataracts at bay.
Keep reading to learn more about whether LASIK prevents cataracts!
What Does LASIK Do?
LASIK is a laser refractive surgery that allows patients to experience true visual freedom for many years. It involves reshaping the cornea, the transparent, dome-shaped layer at the front of the eye, to fix nearsightedness, astigmatism, and farsightedness. By correcting these common refractive errors, LASIK significantly minimizes or even eliminates your reliance on prescription glasses or contact lenses.
What are Cataracts?
A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens of the eye. It occurs when proteins inside the lens gradually break down and stick together, creating a cloudy area. Most cataracts are caused by aging. However, they can also occur at any age due to various other risk factors, such as:
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Previous eye trauma or surgery
- Prolonged use of steroid medication
Some babies are even born with cataracts, a condition called congenital cataracts.
What Do Cataracts Do to Your Vision?
With cataracts, you may experience symptoms such as:
- Blurred or cloudy vision
- Halos and glare
- Sensitivity to light
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Double vision in one eye
- Yellowing or fading of colors
- Frequent changes in contact lens or eyeglass prescription
- Need for brighter lighting for up-close activities like reading
Can LASIK Prevent Cataracts?
Cataracts form independently of LASIK. LASIK can’t prevent, cause, or improve them. In general, the procedure doesn’t decrease or increase your risk of developing cataracts either. LASIK only changes the shape of your cornea to allow light to focus precisely on the retina for sharper, clearer vision.
Like all other parts of your body, the natural lens of your eye will continue to age and will likely develop a cataract in the future. If you get a cataract and have already undergone LASIK, you can still have it removed safely.
Reshapes the cornea – does not touch the natural lens.
Form inside the natural lens – unrelated to corneal shape.
Past LASIK does not prevent cataract surgery.
IOL power calculations need special attention for post‑LASIK eyes.
How Can You Prevent Cataracts?
While cataracts can’t be prevented entirely, there are some steps you can take that may lower your risk of developing them earlier in life:
Wear Quality Sunglasses
Be sure to wear quality sunglasses while outside to shield your eyes from the sun’s damaging UV light and diminish the risk of cataracts. For maximum protection, invest in sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent protection from UVA and UVB rays. Also, consider wearing wide-brimmed hats to offer even more protection from the sun.
Eat Right
Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits and less fried, high-sodium, and processed foods could lower your chances of developing cataracts.
Get Moving
Staying active can help keep your eyes healthy. Activities such as dancing, swimming, cycling, and taking a brisk walk are excellent ways to get a good workout and avoid cataracts.
Keep Your Blood Sugar Under Control
If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar in check can mitigate the risk of cataracts.
Quit Smoking
You’re two to three times more likely to get cataracts if you smoke, so consider stopping. Quitting can decrease your risk for cataracts. You can ask your doctor to help you stop smoking.
How are Cataracts Treated?
Over time, a cataract can make it difficult to see. When poor vision from cataracts begins to impact your daily life, your ophthalmologist may recommend cataract surgery to get rid of the cataract. Cataract surgery is a quick, safe procedure and the only effective way to eliminate cataracts permanently. It involves removing the natural lens with a cataract and implanting a new intraocular lens (IOL) in its place.
The new IOL takes over the function of the natural lens of your eye, restoring clear, sharp vision. Prior to your cataract procedure, you’ll need to choose an IOL. You can opt for either a monofocal or premium IOL. Monofocal IOLs offer clear vision at only one distance. So, if you pick far away vision, you’ll still need to wear glasses or contact lenses for the other uncorrected distances.
In the same way that LASIK increases your freedom from visual aids, premium IOLs can correct vision at multiple distances, greatly decreasing or eliminating your dependence on contacts or glasses. Dr. Tokuhara at Desert Vision Center will discuss your IOL options and help you select an intraocular lens that best meets your visual needs and lifestyle.
Can LASIK Affect IOL Choice?
Much like the prescription in your glasses or contacts, your new IOL will contain a prescription customized to your eyes to give you the best vision possible. Your ophthalmologist will measure the curvature of your cornea and the length of your eye to determine the appropriate focusing power for your IOL.
For patients who’ve not undergone LASIK, calculating IOL power is typically straightforward, and the outcome is predictable. But if you’ve had LASIK before cataract surgery, it will affect the calculations. Post-LASIK eyes can lead to inaccurate IOL calculations and less predictable results. This means that even if you wish to be glasses or contact-free, you’re more likely to require visual aids after cataract surgery.
So, if you’ve undergone LASIK and want to continue enjoying visual freedom post-cataract surgery, let your ophthalmologist know about it. For past LASIK patients, determining the correct lens power requires additional calculations. Equipped with this information, your cataract surgeon can then determine your lens power more accurately, ensuring optimal IOL outcomes and the sharpest vision possible.
LASIK does not prevent cataracts, but it also does not cause them. If you have had LASIK and later develop cataracts, you can still have successful cataract surgery. The key is to choose an experienced surgeon who uses advanced diagnostic tools like the ORA System to account for previous corneal reshaping. With proper planning, you can achieve excellent vision after cataract surgery – even with a history of LASIK.
Have you had LASIK and now notice cataract symptoms?
Don’t worry – we specialize in complex cataract cases, including patients with previous refractive surgery. Schedule a consultation to learn how modern cataract surgery can restore your clear, vibrant vision.