If you have vision problems and you hate the thought of having to wear glasses or contacts, or if you have already been wearing them for years, LASIK probably sounds like a fantastic idea. It’s true that LASIK has helped millions of people achieve the eyesight that they have always dreamt of, but unfortunately, LASIK isn’t right for everybody. So what makes a good LASIK candidate?
An Unchanging Prescription
To help determine eligibility for LASIK, your eye prescription must be stable and unchanged for at least one year in order to qualify for LASIK eye surgery.
Age
Because your eyes change more frequently when you are young, most eye doctors recommend waiting until your eye prescriptions have stabilized. As a general rule, you need to be 18 years of age to receive laser eye surgery while for some refractive errors, you may have to wait until you are 21 years old to be eligible.
Overall Healthy Eyes
If you currently have or are prone to infections in the eye, or you have had one or more serious eye injuries in the past that have led to significant corneal scarring, you may not be a candidate for laser eye surgery. Eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, keratoconus, corneal eye disease, and retinal or optic nerve disease may disqualify you from the surgery as well.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy and while nursing, hormone changes occur, which can alter vision. This can create an instability in your eye prescription, which prevents you from being a LASIK candidate. However, you can certainly explore if you are a laser eye surgery candidate after pregnancy and nursing!
Willingness to Follow Protocol
There are instructions that you will need to follow before, during, and after the surgery. A few examples are:
- You will need to stop wearing contact lenses for several weeks prior to the surgery, as they can change the shape of your cornea.
- During your surgery, you will need to be able to lie flat and be able to keep your eyes fixated on a single point for up to 2 minutes.
- After laser eye surgery, you must attend all your follow up appointments to ensure your vision is progressing normally.
If you cannot, or don’t wish to follow any of these instructions, or any of the others that you will get during your initial screening, chances are you will not be able to receive the operation.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Dr. Ken Moadel at New York Eye Specialists has many satisfied customers! If you’d like to find out if you can join their numbers, it’s time to schedule your free laser eye surgery consultation. Contact us today to see if you could be a LASIK candidate.
