7 Signs You’re an Excellent Candidate for LASIK
May 3rd, 2018
You’ve lived with the inconvenience of wearing glasses and contact lenses long enough, and the freedom that LASIK surgery offers has you seriously considering the procedure. You’ve heard conflicting reports of whether or not you’re eligible for LASIK, and don’t want to get your hopes up if you’re not a good candidate. So what is the criteria you have to meet for LASIK surgery?
We’ll make it simple. Here are 8 factors that determine your eligibility — the signs that indicate you’re an excellent candidate for LASIK:
You’re 18 or older
While you might wish to ditch the glasses in your teenage years, as you grow your eyes continue to change. For this reason, LASIK isn’t appropriate for adolescents.
Your eyeglass prescription has not changed over the past year or more
A stable prescription means that you’ll experience little change in your eyesight in the future. Since LASIK surgery sculpts the eye tissue to correct for existing vision problems, it’s best if your eye doesn’t experience rapid changes and worsening vision; that way, the right level of correction can be applied.
You’re in overall good health
Although LASIK is minimally invasive and recovery is relatively pain-free, it is still a surgical procedure that affects the eye tissue in the region surrounding the incision. LASIK candidates who are in good health are likely to recover faster and more fully, with fewer complications. Individuals with compromised health or serious chronic conditions are at higher risk of developing complications and are therefore not good candidates for LASIK.
You’re not pregnant or nursing
The hormone fluctuations that occur during pregnancy or while you are nursing can cause significant changes to your vision. It’s recommended that you wait at least three months after you stop nursing for your eyes to adjust before you consider LASIK surgery.
You don’t have diabetic eye problems
Diabetes is a serious chronic condition that requires diligent management of blood sugar levels. It can lead to a host of other health concerns, such as vision problems. LASIK surgery is not appropriate for individuals with diabetic eye problems.
You don’t have an autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or multiple sclerosis impact your ability to heal and put you at higher risk of post-surgical complications. For this reason, LASIK surgery is not recommended.
You’re nearsighted, farsighted or have astigmatism
Myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism (a cornea with an irregular surface) can all be corrected with LASIK surgery. If you’ve been told in the past that laser eye surgery would not be appropriate for you, it’s likely you have astigmatism, a condition that once made a patient ineligible for LASIK. Advancements in technology now make LASIK effective in treating and correcting astigmatism, so don’t rule it out based on previous evaluations.
Have questions about whether or not LASIK is right for you? Schedule a LASIK consultation at our office in Huntsville! Dr. Danny Lee and the doctors of Laser Eye Center are available to answer your questions and guide you in making the choice that best meets your needs.
