While the minimum age for LASIK surgery is 18, there is technically no age limit for laser vision correction. Candidacy for LASIK surgery generally does not depend on age, but on the stability and health of the eye. Age may influence your eligibility for LASIK eye surgery, but it's not immovable. In fact, there is no set age for LASIK eye surgery.
However, most eye surgeons who specialize in LASIK surgery will not perform the procedure on people younger than 18, as vision tends to change constantly until early adulthood. While laser eye surgery has been performed on children with severe vision problems, keep in mind that these cases are the exception to the rule. In general, the average age range for undergoing LASIK surgery is between 20 and 40 years. The FDA has approved LASIK eye surgery for people 18 and older, but most providers recommend that patients wait until their mid-20s after their prescription has stabilized.
Read on for a breakdown of data on LASIK surgery by age range. The FDA approved LASIK surgery for people 18 and older, but it would be best to wait a few more years. Until age 24, our vision continues to change, so it's not often for an eye surgeon with LASIK to recommend the procedure to people younger than 25 for the general public. Members of the military, law enforcement, and professional athletes may receive special consideration.
Generally speaking, most eye surgeons with LASIK agree that 25 to 40 years is the ideal age range to apply for LASIK eye surgery for several reasons. By age 25, prescriptions for eyeglasses and contact lenses have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the characteristics of a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Before age 25, your prescription may keep changing.
There is no upper limit that prevents older people from undergoing LASIK eye surgery, but many factors must be considered before an older adult is approved as a candidate. Cataracts, an eye condition that most commonly affects older people, are one of the reasons why a person in this age group is considered not eligible. If you've reached your 60s with clear vision, you may still be considered a good candidate. If cataracts have developed, it becomes the priority of surgical treatment, but it does not exclude the patient from undergoing LASIK surgery or other refractive lens surgery in the future.
You should also tell your eye surgeon about any medications you are taking during your consultation. In fact, many surgeons recommend waiting until your mid-20s to consider laser eye surgery for this very reason. In fact, a refractive surgery consultation at the Woolfson Eye Institute is an opportunity for you to meet with a doctor who specializes in recommending the best treatment for you. In short, it's your health, not your age, that is the best determinant of your eligibility for laser eye surgery.
However, there are many people aged 40, 50, 60 or older who have relatively healthy eyes and, therefore, may still be very good candidates for LASIK surgery. As laser eye surgery has advanced, people over the age of 50 now have particularly good treatment options. While laser eye surgery cannot cure glaucoma, many people with this condition are still eligible for treatment. While you've received a lot of information about LASIK after age 50, the only person who can help you make this decision is a doctor who specializes in corrective eye surgery.
Good general health, family medical history, and a stable prescription are the most important factors in applying for LASIK eye surgery. And people aged 60 and older are at greater risk of cataracts and glaucoma, which cloud the lens of the eye and damage the optic nerve, respectively. Thanks to the introduction of the minimally invasive ReLex SMILE, the vast majority of patients with dry eyes are now eligible for laser vision correction. .
