The basic cause people incline to go for the Lasik surgery is to get rid of the reading glasses and contact lens, which disturb the regular lifestyle or hinder the day to day activities. So, after Lasik, most of the patients do not need reading glasses. However, it may not be the case for all 100% of the patients, who undergo Lasik, because of various reasons.
Reading Glasses After Lasik
Usually after Lasik surgery, reading glasses are not required, because the existing refractive error gets corrected during the procedure. by then, no refractive error can be existing. Reading glasses would be needed only in rare cases, where the prescription of the refractive error is much more. More than 95% of the Lasik patients do not need any kind of reading glasses, even for reading the books or newspaper.
However, there would be need for the reading glasses, after 40s. The cause for the need for the glasses is not Lasik surgery, but something different. There are other factors that influence the overall vision of the eyes. For instance, after 40s, the basic capability of focusing lens would be deteriorated. This cause has no way related with the refractive error, which is corrected through correction over the cornea surface. This condition is called persbyopia and it cannot be prevented or influenced by Lasik surgery procedure, because it is age-related issue with the eye. Other example is cataract problem, which is again caused because of the age of the human being.
Special Conditions
Hyperopia or farsightedness is one common refractive error that can be corrected through Lasik surgery. The cornea would be of either too short or too flat and cause reflection of light to occur behind the retina. So, the patients with farsightedness have problems to see the objects nearby. After Lasik surgery performed for hyperopia, the need for reading glasses would be very far, for many years or decade(s).
Myopia or nearsightedness is a condition, where one can see nearby objects, not farer objects. Usually, this condition can be corrected with the Lasik surgery, by reshaping the cornea, by removing the excess tissue on its surface. Usually, after the Lasik surgery to correct myopia condition, there would be no need for glasses for reading and other activities for many years and even decades.
Hence, Lasik laser eye surgery can correct the surface disturbances and so the refractive errors accordingly. Hence, this procedure can correct hyperopia, myopia or astigmatism problems and other eye problems can have no effect. Reading glasses would not be required after Lasik surgery, but may be because of other eye related issues, like presbyopia, cataract and other problems.