Your eyes do deteriorate naturally. Mine are still fine (well at least I think they are) 11 years down the line. I didn't start wearing glasses until 17 when I realised I wouldn't pass my driving test as I couldn't read the number plate. So if I get 17 years out of use out of these tuned up one...
Another vote for the best purchases of my life. One eye was slightly worse than the other so I paid more for one eye than I did the other but all in was about £4k and that was 11 years ago.
Surgery is very very quick (<1 minute each eye) and completely painless. Does smell like burning flesh...