Does laser eye surgery wear off?

You want clear vision. You want life without glasses. And you want results that last. But here’s the big question:
“Does laser eye surgery wear off?”

Here’s the good news: The results are permanent.

LASIK and PRK reshape your cornea. The cornea doesn’t grow back or return to its old shape. That’s why most people enjoy clear vision for many years—often for life.

At Elite LASIK & Cataract in Indianapolis, we want you to understand what to expect after surgery. Let’s talk about why LASIK doesn’t “wear off”—and why some people notice changes years later.

LASIK changes the shape of your eye—permanently

Here’s what happens:

• The laser gently reshapes the front of your eye (the cornea)
• This new shape helps light focus clearly on your retina
• Once the cornea heals, it stays that way

In other words: the laser work is permanent. It doesn’t wear off or reverse.

So why do some people need glasses again later?

It’s not because LASIK wore off. It’s because:

1. Your eyes change as you age
   This happens to everyone. Around age 40–50, most people develop presbyopia—the need for reading glasses. This isn’t caused by LASIK. It’s a natural change in your eye’s lens.
2. Your vision can still change
   If you had a strong prescription, or your eyes weren’t stable when you had surgery, you might notice small changes later on. This is why we check that your vision is stable before we do LASIK.
3. Other eye conditions can develop
   Cataracts, macular degeneration, or other age-related changes can affect vision. Again, this isn’t because LASIK wore off.

How long do results last?

For most people:

• Distance vision stays sharp for decades
• Some may need reading glasses after age 40–50 (just like anyone else)

We’ve had patients who had LASIK 20 years ago and still see great!

Can I have a touch-up?

If your vision does change later, you may be able to have a small enhancement—a quick touch-up to sharpen things again.

At Elite LASIK & Cataract, our LASIK Lifetime Plan covers enhancements when medically appropriate. We’ll always guide you honestly on what’s best.

What about PRK?

The same applies. PRK also reshapes the cornea permanently. It doesn’t wear off.

Will I still need glasses someday?

You may need reading glasses later in life. That’s because of aging, not the surgery itself.

If you’re in your 40s or 50s and want clear vision at all distances, we can also talk about options like:

• Blended vision LASIK
• Lens replacement surgery

Life after glasses: what’s it really like?

Imagine waking up and seeing clearly—no more searching for glasses. No more contacts. No more fogging, smudges, or expensive prescriptions.

That’s what life looks like after laser eye surgery. And for most people, those results last a lifetime.

Take the next step

Wondering if LASIK is right for you? The first step is easy:

Take our quick suitability self-test now. It only takes a minute—and it’ll tell you if you’re ready to move forward.