What are the risks of having touchup surgery, and how long should I wait for my eyes to "settle" before having the touchup?

Background -

I had LASIK a little over a decade ago in my mid-30's and have forever regretted not doing it sooner. My only complication was I didn't realize I should add lubricant eye drops, for at least year if not two, at least twice if not 3 times a day. I stopped doing that after the first ?30 days?60 days? My vision slightly regressed from the immediate high def can read the newspaper from the moon to "the directv guide from across the room looks ever so slightly blurry" about 2 months after.

They said it was because I should have continued using OTC eye drops for a lot longer and the eyes were too dry as I healed, which they said takes a long time to fully heal.

No biggie. I have free touch ups for life from the chain (LASIK Plus). They did note that free touch ups aren't guaranteed, there is only so much that can be burned off the cornea.

I've noticed over the past year that my vision has changed a lot. Doesn't surprise me, I'm closer to 50 than 40. I have to move objects closer/further in low light and when I'm randomly in the office that I seeing across the room my vision is very blurry when I've been at my desk a while.

The question is ultimately - how long does vision change when it inevitably does at my age? I can still see fine and probably pass an eye exam. Is there a general 'rule' of when I could expect it to again be stable so that I could look at a touch up?

Using lubricant drops has absolutely nothing to do with how your LASIK healed. Do not trust the doctor who told you that.

Anyone over the age of 45 becomes presbyopic - it becomes harder and harder to see things up close whether you have had LASIK or were born with perfect vision. This progresses and plateaus somewhere between 55-60. Having a LASIK enhancement doesn't fix this.

If your distance vision is ok, get some cheaters from the drugstore and call it a day.

So I tolerated glasses for years until my cataracts got bad enough that insurance would pay for surgery.

I then paid the extra cost for PanOptix lenses. Several thousand bucks but I do not regret it.

This is the best possible way. Two years later and still 20/20 vision - reading and distance. The near vision is not a good as distance - when reading a book with small print, have to hold book a little bit away to read. But like Doc said - I may just get cheaters some day for reading.

Absolutely agree not to trust the doc that told you the BS about not using lubricant drops. Lasik can't cure presbyopia but they can/may offer to do a monovision enhancement by intentionally making your non dominant eye nearsighted with more LASIK and leaving your dominant eye alone for distance. There are pros and cons to doing this. Most people adapt well but might need night time driving glasses. The simplest option is absolutely grabbing cheaters from the drugstore tho and waiting until you're old enough for lens exchange in 10-20 years.

Had it done 17 years ago and would do it again. Cant see well at night and use small RX glasses but was better than wearing contacts again. Wife had it done about the same time and she has no problems at all. Both of us where in -4.5 contacts before the procedure.

Don't mean to derail, but for those that have done Lasik you'd recommend it? I've been considering it for a while, but haven't wanted to drop the $. Been wearing contacts for 24 years.