In many cases, yes: a professional repair can restore a damaged lens to normal performance. From the experiences shared, multiple Canon lenses that suffered serious impact damage were repaired and came back with no noticeable loss in image quality or build quality. One user described the repair quality as first-rate, and another said the lens was optically as good as before.

That said, the key factor is the repair estimate. With impact damage like a bent barrel, failed autofocus, and stiff manual focus, internal parts may need replacement, not just realignment. A reputable service center should provide a firm quote before proceeding.

So the practical approach is:

1. Send it to an authorized repair center.
2. Get the estimate first.
3. Compare repair cost against the cost of replacing the lens.

A repaired lens does not necessarily suffer ongoing image-quality degradation if the repair is done properly, though obvious cosmetic marks could affect resale value.