• LASIK surgery has an extremely high success rate. Federal Food and Drug Administration statistics say that 92% to 95% of patients achieve 20/40 vision within six months of surgery. That's good enough to drive without glasses.
  
  
• One of the earliest forms of refractive eye surgery, radial keratotomy, was discovered by accident. After a Russian doctor, Svyatoslav Fyodorov, removed glass from a patient's eye, he found that the patient's vision had unexpectedly improved.
  
  
• Presbyopia is a natural condition that affects everyone as they get older. The lens of the eye becomes less flexible, making it harder for us to focus on close objects, such as reading matter. That's why we need "reading glasses" starting around 40.
  
  
• Myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism can be greatly improved by refractive surgery. Presbyopia cannot.
  
  
• There are no clinical studies that support the claims that eye exercises or nutritional supplements can cure myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism.
  
  
• Eye care providers spend nearly $200 million per year on advertising. It works. Americans spend nearly $2 billion per year on vision correction.
  
  
• Be wary of extravagant health care ads (including those for prescription drugs). The product advertised may not be appropriate for your problem, and probably will have side effects. Get your medical treatment from your doctor, not your television.

  *Quick Facts have been reviewed by Medical Advisors and are current as of October 2005.