Who is a Candidate for LASIK?
October 5, 2023
Are you tired of having to wear glasses all the time? Do you dream of a world where you don't have to insert and remove contacts daily?
If you're interested in gaining greater visual freedom, LASIK could be the answer you've been looking for. LASIK can reduce dependence on visual aids for people with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
While LASIK can be a life-changing experience for many people, it is not a fit for everyone. Keep reading to find out who is a candidate for LASIK!
1. You Are 18 or Older
The FDA has only approved LASIK for those eighteen years old and above. This is because, during childhood and adolescence, a person's vision is still in the process of stabilizing.
It is best to wear glasses or contacts until the eye is fully matured. To be safe, many eye doctors recommend waiting until you are in your mid-twenties.
Otherwise, the procedure can be less effective, and you may need LASIK corrections in the future.
2. You've Had the Same Prescription for At Least One Year
Regardless of your age, your prescription must be stable for at least a year in order to qualify for LASIK. While vision changes are common before a person reaches adulthood, they can also happen throughout your life.
LASIK is intended to be a permanent solution, and if your prescription keeps changing, the results are unlikely to last as long as they're supposed to. Frequently changing prescriptions can also be a sign of an underlying condition.
3. Your Eyes Are Healthy
Good candidates have eyes that are healthy and free of eye conditions, including glaucoma, retinal disorders, and conditions affecting the cornea.
You should also not have an active eye infection or experience chronic dryness.
These can affect the outcome of the procedure and increase your risk of complications.
4. Your Overall Health Is Good
In order to determine whether you qualify for LASIK, your eye doctor will not only consider the health of your eyes, but they will also talk to you about your overall health.
Some conditions can make it harder for your body to heal from any procedure, including LASIK. For example, diabetes and autoimmune disorders can affect your body's natural healing process.
In this case, you may be advised to continue wearing glasses or contacts.
Always tell your doctor about any medications you are taking. Certain medications, such as steroids, can affect the outcome of the procedure.
5. Your Corneas Are Sufficiently Thick
LASIK works by reshaping the cornea, the transparent front layer of the eye. During the procedure, a thin flap is made in the cornea.
This flap is needed in order for the LASIK surgeon to be able to reshape the area that needs correcting. Some people naturally have thinner corneas.
If the cornea is too thin, there is not enough tissue to safely create this flap. Of course, you cannot tell how thick or thin your corneas are just by looking at them yourself.
During your screening, your eye doctor will measure them to ensure they are sufficiently thick. If your corneas are too thin, you may still qualify for another laser correction procedure, such as Advanced Surface Treatment (AST).
During your consultation, your eye doctor will be able to tell you if a different procedure may better suit your needs.
6. You Are Not Pregnant or Breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should wait to get LASIK. Pregnancy causes your hormone levels to fluctuate, which can actually affect your prescription.
By delaying the procedure a little while and giving your vision a chance to restabilize, you can help ensure the best possible results.
7. Your Prescription Is Not Too High
While LASIK can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, it cannot correct every prescription. Some people may have prescriptions that are too high and fall outside the limits that LASIK can correct.
However, you may still qualify for another corrective procedure.
8. You Understand What LASIK Can Achieve
LASIK can provide complete freedom from glasses and contacts, but this is not a guarantee. The exact outcome of the procedure varies per person and depends on a range of individual factors.
It is possible that after your procedure, you may still need to wear glasses or contacts for certain activities. That said, if you want to reduce your reliance on visual aids, LASIK is an excellent option.
If you meet all of the above criteria and would like to rely on visual aids less, we're excited to make that happen for you. Even if you do not meet all of these criteria, it's still possible to achieve visual freedom.
We would be delighted to explore all your options for correcting your vision.
Are you interested in learning if you may be a good candidate for LASIK? Schedule your free laser vision correction preliminary screening at Eyes of York in York, PA, today!