The thought of being free from the burden of daily vision correction of glasses or contacts is exciting!
But, how do you know if you can have the LASIK procedure?
We have a few rule-of-thumb guidelines; however, candidacy for LASIK depends on your specific individual characteristics and it is necessary to have a full dilated evaluation before candidacy can be confirmed.
Rule-of-Thumb #1: The typical age range for LASIK is between ages of 18 – 60 years old. Our LASIK surgeons do not complete procedure on patients younger than 18 years old. When a patient is older than 60 years, LASIK may still be an option; however, cataracts can be a contributing factor and should be a consideration.
Rule-of-Thumb #2: Your glasses/ contact lens prescription has been stable – meaning a 0.50D change or less- for at least 1-2 years. If your prescription is still changing, LASIK would potentially be a good option for you in the future. Your primary care eye doctor will be able to let you know if your eyes have been stable over time. If your prescription is stable- YAY! – You get to move to the next step.
Rule-of-Thumb #3: You have a stable medical history both for your eyes and your systemic health. Diseases such as autoimmune issues and diabetes can affect your candidacy. A conversation with our vision consultant can inform you if any condition you have would be counterproductive to an optimum outcome.
Rule-of-Thumb #4: You have a good corneal thickness and curvature. If your cornea is too thin, then LASIK could be unsafe for you. This reading can be determined at your LASIK evaluation where a formal scan of your cornea is completed that will indicate the thickness of your cornea and if it has the proper shape for the procedure.
Rule-of Thumb #5: Your ocular health does not reveal any contraindications for procedure. Sometimes there can be ocular health issues that are found at your dilated evaluation that can preclude you from having the procedure. If a new condition is found that is a contraindication to the LASIK procedure, our doctors will educate you about the condition and make a recommendation for follow-up care.
Your LASIK vision correction is a wonderful, life-changing event as long as your procedure is safe for you. At 20/20 Institute, we provide an extensive evaluation with the excellent technology and experienced physicians to optimize your outcome.