Lasik surgery does not necessarily mean the end to glasses

After $4,000 worth of laser eye surgery, it would seem the glasses and contact lenses never would be seen again.

Then comes a Consumer Reports survey that finds some 55 percent of Americans who have undergone laser vision correction, or lasik eye surgery, continue to wear glasses or contact lens at least sometimes.

"Laser vision correction surgery is a largely unchecked industry, and consumers need to know the right questions to ask to be sure they're protected and that they're getting good quality care for their money," Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, said in a statement about the survey.

At first blush, I could hardly believe my eyes. What's the point of the surgery then?

Well, I had a chat with a couple of ophthalmologists, Dr. James Salz, of Beverly Hills, a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and clinical professor at the University of Southern California; and Dr. Steve Updegraff, a St. Petersburg ophthalmologist who underwent the laser treatment.

Salz does not dispute Consumer Reports' findings. But he and Updegraff offer some caveats that they say give context to what our friends at Consumer Reports found, and they attributed several factors to the percentage of patients still wearing glasses after the surgery.

"In our own practice, we wouldn't have near 55 percent wearing glasses," Salz said.

Consumers need to understand that this is not a miracle treatment, a kind of fountain of youth that will forever eliminate problems with your eyes, while the rest of your body shrivels up under the weight and pressures of time.

Those over 40 might need to use reading glasses sometimes, because the laser surgery does not correct a problem that comes after the midlife years. So they might need glasses for reading or night driving.

It's a problem we develop where the eye has trouble switching the focus between near and far objects. Laser surgery does not correct that.

"My natural lens doesn't flex anymore like when I was 20 or 30 years of age," Updegraff said.

At 47, Updegraff said he might soon need to use reading glasses, even though he had a successful lasik surgery.

"For me, having lasik got me out of my contact lenses," he said. "It's just a matter of time. I will need glasses for reading and book work."

Consumer Reports and the ophthalmologists agree on this: the quality of the surgeon also makes a big difference.

Some treatment centers act more like mills than doctor offices and fire away with the laser without necessary care, which contributes to the safety and quality concerns cited by Consumer Reports.

Salz says all eyes are not the same and shouldn't be treated with a one-method-fits-all approach.

"Corporate entities came into the picture," he said. "They don't like to turn anybody away."

So here's the Edge

Get a recommendation from a trusted source. Salz recommends that potential laser eye surgery patients consult surgeons who are ophthalmologists who do not do the surgery themselves. "They know who the best surgeons are," Salz said.

Do your homework. Research the issue before pursuing the surgery, so you know what to expect. Here are some helpful Web sites:

• www.aao.org/eyesmart/correction/LASIK.cfm

• www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/SurgeryandLifeSupport/LASIK/default.htm.

Ivan Penn can be reached at ipenn@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2332.