If you are wearing glasses or contact lenses, you most likely asked yourself whether LASIK is a better alternative. It’s a popular question for Filipinos seeking vision correction. Both procedures have advantages and disadvantages, and what suits another person may not suit you. This article deconstructs the long-term factors to assist you in deciding what is best for your lifestyle, budget, and eyes.
Daily Convenience and Lifestyle
Contact lenses offer flexibility—you can wear them as needed and remove them anytime. For people who enjoy changing their look or prefer not to undergo a medical procedure, contacts are a low-commitment choice. However, they require daily maintenance, cleaning, and replacement, which can become tedious over time.
On the other hand, LASIK surgery in the Philippines offers a more long-term fix. After your eyes recover, no daily care regimen is needed nor do you have to worry about bringing lens solution when going on vacation. Patients also feel more liberated when they participate in sports, swim, or go for outdoor activities.
Cost Over Time
At first look, LASIK can be costly. The price of laser eye surgery in the Philippines will usually cost between ₱40,000 to ₱120,000 for both eyes, depending on the technology and clinic.
Contact lenses, however, have ongoing expenses: lens packs, cleaning solutions, check-ups, and the occasional emergency replacements. Over a span of five to ten years, these will accumulate—often more than the single payment for LASIK in the Philippines.
So although LASIK is a more costly initial investment, it could end up being more cost-effective in the long term.
Eye Health and Comfort
Long-term use of contact lenses might lead to dryness, itchiness, and even infections, albeit very infrequently—particularly under the tropical weather conditions of the Philippines. Not everybody is as careful about hygiene, which makes eye health vulnerable.
LASIK, when done by an expert surgeon, is extremely successful and is not harmful. Most patients see recovery within a matter of days and stable vision. Few may encounter temporary effects such as glare or dryness of the eyes. These tend to be handled with second opinions.
Which One Is Right for You?
If you’re willing to forgo surgery and accept periodic maintenance, contact lenses are still a tried-and-true option. But if long-term convenience, possibly reduced costs in the long run, and the liberty of waking up with perfect sight appeal to you, LASIK may be a decision that changes your life.
Always see an eye care professional to assess your individual needs and decide the way forward. Your eyes—and your way of life—are worth it.
