LASIK to survive the apocalypse - OCL Vision

Are you ready for the apocalypse? Let’s check your survival to-do list. If you’re serious about preparing for the end of the world, you’ll need to stockpile supplies, make your escape plans and perhaps most importantly, get LASIK surgery. It’s what all the elite billionaires are doing to prep for and survive the apocalypse, after all…

Survival of the fittest

Steve Huffman, the CEO of the online community, Reddit, recently underwent LASIK surgery in order to improve his chances of survival in the event of an apocalypse. The reason? In a post-apocalyptic scenario, contact lenses just aren’t going to cut it. Glasses will get smashed easily (and are a visible sign of weakness). The best way to maximise your life expectancy and escape attack is to be fit and able-bodied and that includes having good vision. The way Huffman sees it, the other benefits laser eye surgery can bring – convenience, cost savings, the sheer pleasure of experiencing fantastic vision after living with myopia – are just convenient side-effects.

Huffman isn’t the only member of the Silicon Valley super-rich to opt for LASIK laser eye surgery in preparation for doomsday. His predecessor Yishan Wong has also had the procedure for the same reasons, alongside many other high profile individuals. In fact, ‘prepping’ to survive the apocalypse is a growing movement among the moneyed tech elite and LASIK is among the least drastic of the tactics they are employing.

From buying up land to building nuclear bunkers, some of the lengths and costs that the super-rich will stretch to make laser eye surgery seem like a pretty good bargain. You’ll get an instant return on your investment, seeing improved visual results within hours of your surgery. Pretty good, considering there’s a fighting chance that those bunkers will remain empty and the world will keep turning, at least in our lifetimes.

What does LASIK involve?

If the tech tycoons have you convinced that LASIK surgery is an essential ingredient to survive the apocalypse, the next step is to find out more about what the procedure involves. Here’s a quick overview.

LASIK is an advanced form of bladeless laser eye surgery, performed using extremely fast and accurate laser technology. The procedure is quick, accurate, painless and safe, taking as little as 10-15 minutes per eye and boasting a high success rate with a low risk of side effects.

After numbing the eye with eye drops, a flap is created in the cornea using a precision laser. An excimer laser is then used to reshape the cornea to correct the patient’s vision, before the flap is replaced. Pupil tracking technology ensures that the laser is always on target, so the procedure is extremely accurate. Recovery is typically quick, with most patients able to carry on with everyday activities after just a single day (this may be especially important, if you feel the end of the world is nigh!)

Read more about advanced LASIK laser eye surgery.