LASIK is a popular elective surgery that reshapes the cornea to correct refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. This procedure is one of the most common ways people seek freedom from glasses and contact lenses, often resulting in excellent visual outcomes. Despite its high success rate and widespread acceptance, a persistent public question revolves around why some medical professionals, particularly eye doctors, appear to avoid the procedure. This perceived reluctance has created a misconception that the surgery carries hidden risks known only to doctors.
The Reality: How Many Doctors Actually Get LASIK?
The idea that eye doctors universally avoid LASIK is inaccurate and contradicts recent data. Studies focused on ophthalmologists who perform refractive surgery indicate they are significantly more likely to have undergone laser vision correction (LVC) than the general public. These specialists demonstrate confidence in the procedure through their personal choice.
Surveys show that approximately 62.6% of eligible refractive surgeons have had LVC performed on their own eyes. This rate is estimated to be five times higher than the prevalence of LVC in the general population. Furthermore, more than 90% of these surgeons have recommended the procedure to their immediate family members. If a doctor wears glasses, it usually reflects a personal preference, lack of need for correction, or medical ineligibility, not a distrust of the science.
Occupational and Lifestyle Factors Influencing the Decision
Choosing not to have LASIK can be a decision based on the specific demands of a medical professional’s career.
Demands of Microsurgery
Surgeons who perform intricate microsurgery, such as neurosurgery or ophthalmic procedures, require absolute, distortion-free vision. The slightest potential for higher-order aberrations—subtle optical imperfections induced by the surgery—may be deemed an unacceptable risk in a field demanding perfect visual performance.
Managing Post-Surgical Dry Eye
Post-LASIK dry eye is a common side effect resulting from the temporary severing of corneal nerves during flap creation. While typically resolving over a few months, chronic dryness and reduced visual clarity can be challenging to manage in a sterile hospital environment. Wearing a surgical mask can direct air across the ocular surface, potentially worsening discomfort and reducing functional vision during lengthy procedures.
Night Vision Risks
Professionals who require immediate, reliable vision in all conditions, such as emergency medicine physicians, must weigh the risks of night vision disturbances carefully. Post-LASIK symptoms like glare, halos, and starbursts around light sources are reported by a percentage of patients, particularly in low-light settings. For an on-call doctor who must drive or function effectively in the dark, the theoretical risk of impaired nighttime vision can outweigh the convenience of not wearing corrective lenses.
Medical Eligibility and Personal Risk Assessment
The most straightforward reason a doctor does not get LASIK is that they are not a suitable candidate, a determination made by strict medical criteria. The procedure requires a sufficient amount of corneal tissue, and a patient with naturally thin corneas is an absolute contraindication, as the remaining tissue after reshaping would be structurally weakened. Additionally, pre-existing, unstable prescriptions or certain chronic conditions like severe dry eye syndrome or autoimmune disorders, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, can impair the body’s ability to heal properly after surgery.
Conservative Risk Assessment
Doctors also tend to approach their own medical decisions with a heightened awareness of risk probability and long-term outcomes. Knowing the full risk curve, they often apply a stricter standard of eligibility to themselves than they might to a lay patient. For example, a patient with a very large pupil size is at an increased risk of night vision issues like halos, and a doctor may opt out of the procedure entirely to avoid this complication, especially if their vision is already well-corrected with glasses or contact lenses. This highly informed, conservative approach to risk assessment accounts for many cases where a doctor, otherwise eligible, chooses stability over surgical correction.