Is LASIK the Right Vision Correction Surgery for Me?
Do you suffer from a refractive vision errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism? LASIK is a vision correction surgery approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat these conditions, and many people wonder if they are eligible for the procedure. With most patients achieving 20/20 vision after LASIK eye surgery, it is no surprise this is such a sought-after treatment.
There are a few ways to determine who is a good candidate for LASIK. Let’s take a look at a few below:
Do You Have Healthy Eyes?
Like any surgical procedure, different patients can have different reactions to the LASIK procedure and healing process. Generally patients should have healthy eyes before having this refractive surgery performed. Things like cataracts or glaucoma could lower your chance of LASIK candidacy. If your tear production is low, resulting in dry eyes, the surgical procedure could further aggravate the condition.
If you have another eye condition, including pink eye, other infection, or any type of eye injury, you should wait until it has healed before heading into LASIK surgery. You should consult with an experienced LASIK surgeon to discuss any symptoms or eye health problems you feel might prevent you from being a great candidate for LASIK.
Is Your Overall Health in Good Standing?
If your health history is poor, an eye surgeon might determine that LASIK is not the best procedure for you. Different autoimmune diseases, medications, and other variables can affect your post-operative healing process, no matter how well the surgery goes.
How Old Are You?
In many cases, LASIK patients are required to be 18 years old or older. This is because teenagers and young adults often experience frequent changes in their contact or eyeglass prescription. Once your eye doctor has determined that your prescription is stable, you can be confident about reaching out about LASIK eye surgery to correct your vision problem once and for all. While there is no limit on the age for receiving LASIK, age-related vision issues can still affect individuals over 40 years old.
What are Your Measurements?
…Your corneal measurements, that is! A laser eye surgery, like LASIK, works by reshaping the cornea, or the front surface of your eye. If your cornea is too thin or misshapen, this could affect your desired LASIK results and end up impairing your vision further.
Consulting with a LASIK surgeon is the best way to determine how your corneas will be affected by LASIK surgery. Some surgeons have access to the latest technologies that will help increase your candidacy for LASIK, despite thin or irregularly-shaped corneas. They can also determine if there is an alternative procedure to LASIK that will provide better results.
Consult with ADV Vision About Your Candidacy for LASIK
While the factors listed above are a good place to start helping you determine if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery, every patient is unique and you should consult with an experienced LASIK surgeon to determine if the procedure is right for you. ADV Vision’s experienced team is happy to guide patients through their options for better vision. If LASIK is not the best choice for you, another refractive eye surgery might be.
Visit the ADV Vision website to take the LASIK Self-Evaluation Quiz, or to reach out to Dr. Dougherty or Dr. Abroms for a LASIK consultation. With over 40 years of combined experience, the doctors at ADV are committed to providing the highest level of patient care.