See a Family Eye Physicians eye doctor. Offices in Buffalo Grove, Orland Park, Oak Lawn, Schaumburg, Oakbrook Terrace and Chicago (Albany Park).
LASIK can be worth considering when you qualify medically, want less dependence on glasses or contacts, and accept the cost and surgical risks. LASIK cannot guarantee perfect vision or lifelong freedom from glasses. A useful consultation explains your likely benefit, your personal risk factors, and what continuing with glasses or contacts would mean for you.
Key takeaways
- Decide which daily activities you want to improve before comparing surgical offers.
- Ask your surgeon about dry eye, night vision, prescription stability and corneal measurements.
- Compare the written surgical quote with your own current spending, without assuming a guaranteed financial break-even date.
- Ask about future reading glasses, follow-up care and possible additional treatment.
- You can finish a consultation and choose to wait or continue using glasses.
Satisfaction and symptoms answer different questions
In the FDA’s PROWL studies (both study phases completed in 2014), more than 95% of participants reported satisfaction with their vision. Among participants without visual symptoms before surgery, up to 46% reported at least one visual symptom at three months. The findings use different denominators and can both be true. They describe study participants, not Family Eye Physicians’ outcomes or your personal risk.
When might LASIK be worth it for you?
Consider LASIK when you have a specific reason to reduce your reliance on corrective lenses and an ophthalmologist finds you suitable. Identify the activity that matters: wearing safety equipment at work, managing contacts during exercise, or getting through ordinary days with fewer lens-related tasks. Tell the surgeon what you want to change.
Describe that activity precisely. If you drive after dark for work, discuss the quality of your night vision. If contacts feel uncomfortable, explain when the discomfort starts and which treatments you have tried. A surgeon needs those details to assess your eyes and explain the tradeoffs relevant to your routine.
A friend’s good result can prompt a consultation, but it cannot predict your result. You may have a different prescription, corneal shape or ocular surface condition. Ask what your examination suggests about your own options before committing money or scheduling time away from work.
What would make LASIK a poor choice?
A surgeon may recommend waiting or another approach when examination findings raise concern. The FDA’s candidacy guidance identifies changing prescriptions, thin corneas, dry eyes, certain illnesses and medications among issues requiring attention. Tell the doctor about previous eye procedures, medical conditions and all medications you take.
Describe your occupation and sports as well. Some employers have requirements concerning refractive procedures; confirm those requirements before surgery. If your job involves physical contact or demanding visual tasks, ask the doctor how those responsibilities affect procedure selection and recovery planning.
Patients with an uncomfortable ocular surface should discuss that concern before treating surgery as an escape from contact lenses. Family Eye Physicians provides information about dry eye evaluation and treatment. Ask whether any eye-surface findings need treatment or repeat measurements before a surgical recommendation.
How should you weigh convenience against the risks?
Weigh the improvement you want against the consequences you would find difficult to accept. The FDA’s LASIK risk information describes possible dry eye, glare, halos, double vision, undercorrection or overcorrection, and loss of vision. Patients can still need corrective lenses after surgery.
| Your main consideration | Reason to discuss LASIK | Question to resolve before deciding |
|---|---|---|
| Daily lens routine | You want fewer tasks involving glasses or contacts | What level of reduced dependence is realistic for my eyes? |
| Night driving | You want useful vision during your actual work or travel hours | How do my findings affect the risk of glare, halos or other symptoms? |
| Comfort | You want to discuss problems you have with contact lenses | Do I have dry eye or another condition needing care first? |
| Budget | You can compare a complete quote with your current costs | What costs remain outside the package? |
| Near vision | You want clear expectations about reading and distance tasks | Would I still need reading glasses? |
| Risk tolerance | You are prepared to consider an elective procedure | Would I still choose surgery if I needed glasses afterward? |
Use the table to organize a conversation with the surgeon. A recommendation should connect the proposed treatment to your measurements and goals. You should be able to describe the expected benefit and the risks you are accepting before signing a consent form.
What do patient satisfaction studies actually tell you?
Study participants can report satisfaction and postoperative symptoms at the same time. In the FDA’s Patient-Reported Outcomes with LASIK studies, more than 95% of participants reported satisfaction with their vision. Among participants without visual symptoms before surgery, up to 46% reported at least one visual symptom at three months.
The FDA also reports that fewer than 1% of participants experienced major difficulty with usual activities because of any one visual symptom. Those findings describe the study groups and their follow-up; they do not supply an individual patient’s probability of benefit or harm. Ask the surgeon how your findings affect the discussion.
Do not compare a practice’s testimonials directly with research percentages. Testimonials describe selected experiences. Ask a surgeon which outcomes they track, how they define a complication or additional treatment, and what follow-up period they use. Request explanations you can understand without having to interpret a marketing claim.
Is LASIK financially worth it?
Start with a complete written quote and the amount you actually spend on corrective lenses. A generic online savings calculation cannot establish what you will save. Patients buy different glasses and contacts, have different benefits, and may still need prescriptions after surgery. You also need to account for financing and care outside the quoted package.
List your recent contact-lens purchases, solutions, glasses and relevant out-of-pocket visits. Separate purchases you would make regardless of surgery from expenses you hope to reduce. Then ask the surgical center to identify its fees, included follow-up, medication costs and policy for additional treatment.
Read the existing Chicago LASIK cost and quote-comparison guide for questions to bring to a consultation. Obtain a current quote directly from the provider. Old promotional figures, somebody else’s receipt and a monthly payment advertised without its terms do not establish your total.
If you are considering financing, compare the total amount you would repay and the consequences of missing a promotional deadline. Ask the lender for the written agreement. Decide whether the expense fits your budget even if you later continue buying some glasses. You can choose to postpone an elective procedure.
Is LASIK worth it after 40?
Ask specifically about near vision and future reading-glasses needs. A distance-vision result may still leave you needing help for close work. The FDA discusses monovision, which intentionally treats the eyes differently for near and distance tasks, and advises a contact-lens trial before choosing that approach because some patients do not tolerate it.
Bring examples of what you read and how you work: a phone held close, a computer at arm’s length, or detailed work under dim lighting. Ask the surgeon to explain which tasks the proposed correction addresses and which may still require glasses. Your priorities may differ from those of a younger distance-vision patient.
You can also ask whether your eye examination suggests a reason to discuss another procedure or to defer surgery. A birthday alone does not replace an examination. Avoid choosing a procedure based on an age category in an advertisement.
What should a Chicago LASIK consultation help you decide?
A consultation should establish whether you qualify and explain what you would be choosing. Family Eye Physicians describes its LASIK service and evaluation pathway, and Oakbrook LASIK currently advertises a free consultation. Ask the center which tests and visits the consultation includes and whether there could be separate charges.
The practice’s biography identifies Sanjay Rao, MD as a cornea and LASIK surgeon with fellowship training in cornea, external disease and refractive surgery. Verify which surgeon would evaluate and treat you. Ask who would manage follow-up and urgent questions after treatment.
Compare what the doctor recommends with the alternatives available to you. If PRK enters the discussion, use the existing LASIK versus PRK comparison to prepare questions about the different recovery plans. Glasses and contact lenses remain options to discuss as well.
The FDA’s preparation guidance advises patients to allow time for the risk-benefit discussion and consent materials. Ask the center how to prepare for accurate measurements, including instructions about contact lenses. Request your own work, transportation and follow-up plan instead of relying on someone else’s recovery timetable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LASIK worth it if I only wear glasses sometimes?
Describe when you use glasses and what you want surgery to change. If corrective lenses cause little inconvenience, the benefit you personally value may be limited. Ask an ophthalmologist to compare your current function with the expected surgical result and risks before deciding.
Does LASIK guarantee I will never need glasses again?
No. Patients can still need glasses or contact lenses after surgery, and future near-vision needs remain part of the discussion. Ask which activities may still require corrective lenses and what the surgeon would recommend if your prescription changes.
Can LASIK save money over time?
It may reduce some lens-related spending, but savings are not guaranteed. Compare your own costs with the complete surgical and financing quote. Include possible ongoing eyewear and care outside the package; avoid treating an advertised break-even calculation as a prediction.
Should I get LASIK because contacts irritate my eyes?
Tell the doctor about the irritation and ask for an eye-surface assessment. Existing dry eye can affect the surgical decision. A doctor should establish the cause of symptoms and explain whether treatment, another correction option or postponement is appropriate.
Can I decide against surgery after a consultation?
Yes. You can ask for the findings and proposed plan, review the consent materials, seek another opinion, or wait. Confirm any consultation charges beforehand. A consultation gives you information for a decision; it does not require you to proceed.
How do I start a local evaluation?
Use the Oakbrook Terrace appointment-request page and specify that you want to discuss LASIK. Confirm the exact location, preparation instructions, surgeon and any charges with the office before attending.
This article provides general educational information. Your treating clinician must assess your individual diagnosis, treatment options, risks and expected costs.
Sources
- FDA LASIK risks and choosing a doctor, accessed November 8, 2026
- FDA LASIK Quality of Life Collaboration Project, accessed November 8, 2026
- FDA LASIK candidacy considerations, accessed November 8, 2026
- FDA LASIK preparation and recovery guidance, accessed November 8, 2026
- FDA LASIK Surgery Checklist, accessed November 8, 2026
- Oakbrook LASIK, accessed November 8, 2026
- Sanjay Rao MD biography, accessed November 8, 2026
Mohammad Al-Khudari, MD · Family Eye PhysiciansRequest an Appointment
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This article provides general information and does not replace advice from your eye care professional.