LASIK can be life changing, reducing dependence on glasses and contact lenses for many people with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. That said, LASIK isn’t right for everyone. Your age, prescription, eye health, corneal thickness and shape, overall health, and other factors all play a role in determining whether you’re a good candidate.
The only way to know for certain whether you qualify for LASIK is through a comprehensive evaluation with an eye surgeon. You’ll need to meet certain requirements to have LASIK surgery, and below are six important factors your doctor will consider.
You must be at least 18 years old to have LASIK surgery. However, being 18 doesn’t automatically make you a good candidate. Vision can continue changing during your late teens and early adulthood, so your eye doctor will also want to make sure your prescription has stabilized before recommending surgery.
A stable prescription is an important LASIK requirement. Generally, your vision should have changed very little for at least a year before surgery.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, certain medications, diabetes, and other factors can cause temporary changes in vision. If your prescription is still changing, your eye surgeon may recommend waiting until your vision has stabilized before considering LASIK.
LASIK can correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, but there are limits to the amount of vision correction that can safely and predictably be achieved.
If your prescription falls outside the recommended range for LASIK, that doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Depending on your eyes and prescription, another vision correction procedure such as PRK or an implantable collamer lens (ICL) may be more appropriate.
Good overall eye health is another important factor in LASIK candidacy. During your evaluation, your eye surgeon will look for conditions that could affect the safety of the procedure, healing, or your results.
For example, significant dry eye may need to be treated before LASIK because the procedure can temporarily worsen dry eye symptoms. Conditions affecting the cornea, as well as glaucoma, cataracts, eye inflammation, previous eye injuries, and other eye problems, also need to be carefully evaluated before surgery.
LASIK works by reshaping the cornea, so your eye surgeon needs to carefully evaluate its thickness, shape, and overall health. Corneas that are too thin or have certain irregularities may make LASIK unsafe or increase the risk of complications.
As part of your evaluation, detailed measurements and imaging of your corneas can help your surgeon determine whether you’re a candidate for LASIK. If your corneas aren’t well suited to LASIK, another vision correction procedure may be a better option.
Your overall health can also affect whether LASIK surgery is appropriate. Certain autoimmune conditions, immune system disorders, poorly controlled diabetes, and some medications can interfere with healing or increase the risk of complications.
Be sure to tell your eye surgeon about your medical conditions, medications, and health history during your LASIK evaluation. Having a particular medical condition doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have vision correction surgery, but your surgeon will need to determine whether the procedure can be performed safely.
LASIK can significantly reduce your dependence on glasses or contact lenses, but no procedure can guarantee perfect vision or that you will never need glasses again. Your results depend on your prescription, eye health, age, and other individual factors. Your eye surgeon can help you understand what LASIK can realistically achieve for your vision before you decide whether to proceed.
Hopefully, you meet the requirements to have LASIK surgery. But if you don’t qualify, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t have vision correction surgery. Depending on why LASIK isn’t right for you, alternatives such as PRK or an implantable collamer lens may be worth considering.
If you’re considering LASIK, schedule a free consultation with the experienced team at Washington Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
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The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider.
