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If You Meet This Criteria, You’re a Good Candidate for LASIK
Are you tired of wearing glasses or contact lenses to improve your vision? LASIK eye surgery is one of the top solutions for correcting a wide range of vision problems. However, not everyone is a good candidate for LASIK.
To find out if you qualify for this vision correction procedure, it’s important to understand the criteria and undergo a LASIK self test first. Read through this list of qualifications to determine if you’re a good LASIK candidate.
You Have Healthy Eyes
Certain eye problems must be resolved before LASIK can be performed. For example, the presence of glaucoma, severe dry eye syndrome, conjunctivitis, eye infections, or other issues will prevent you from undergoing this procedure. Consulting with your eye doctor can help you determine if you have any of these eye diseases or conditions.
You Are in Good General Health
Your overall health and ability to heal from surgery are important factors to consider before any procedure. Certain autoimmune diseases, type 1 diabetes, and AIDS could all disqualify you from LASIK. Your eye surgeon will be able to determine the best vision correction procedure for you based on your eye health, overall wellness, and any pre-existing health conditions.
You Have a Stable Vision Prescription
Before undergoing LASIK, you must first consider your current vision prescription. Your lens prescription must be stable for at least one year prior to the procedure. Furthermore, in order to be considered a good candidate, your prescription must fall within an acceptable range. Very high prescriptions for nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism can result in potential risks.
If the strength of your prescription disqualifies you from LASIK, other types of vision correction procedures may still be a valid option to improve your eye condition. Surgeries like IOL implantable lenses or refractive lens exchange may be the best choices for you if you have a very high or unstable prescription.
Your Corneas Are Sufficiently Thick
The physical thickness of your corneas can make a huge difference in the success of LASIK and the ability to reshape the front surface of your eye. Performing LASIK on a cornea that is too thin can actually impair your vision. Dougherty Laser Vision utilizes femtosecond laser technology, which enables your surgeon to work with a thinner cornea than many other eye doctors.
Learn more about LASIK and if it’s the right fit for you.
You Are at Least 18 Years Old
In order to undergo the LASIK procedure, you must be at least 18 years old. Since puberty and hormonal changes can affect your eyesight, it’s important to wait until you reach adulthood before considering this surgery. Younger patients with extraordinary circumstances may be allowed as an exception with permission from the guardian at the discretion of your eye doctor. There is no official upper age limit for LASIK; however, people older than 40 may be more at risk for dry eyes.
Your Pupils Are Not Too Large
Aside from considering your overall eye health, there are other features of your eye that determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK. Naturally large pupils may increase the risks of negative side effects like glare, halos, and starbursts. To determine your pupil size and learn more about these risks, speak to your eye doctor.
You Are Not Pregnant
If you are pregnant or nursing, it is advised that you wait before considering laser eye surgery. Pregnancy can cause dry eyes, which can compromise the results of the procedure. There are also risks involved for the baby when patients take antibiotics and/or steroids before or after the surgery. Furthermore, since hormonal changes can temporarily impact your vision, people who are pregnant or nursing do not make good candidates for LASIK.
You Are Ready to Schedule an Eye Exam
Are you a good candidate for LASIK? If you’re still not sure if you qualify for laser eye surgery, take our LASIK self test to find out more about which solution would work best for you. An experienced LASIK surgeon from Dougherty Laser Vision can offer guidance about which procedure will be best for you. Take the first steps and schedule a LASIK consultation at Dougherty Laser Vision today!
