Are you considering LASIK eye surgery to improve your vision? If so, you're not alone. Millions of people have undergone the procedure since it was approved by the FDA in 1999. But before you make the decision to have the surgery, it's important to understand who is a qualified candidate for LASIK. To be eligible for LASIK, you must be at least 18 years old and have a stable prescription. Generally speaking, the procedure can correct up to -11 diopters of myopia, +5 diopters of farsightedness, and 5 diopters of astigmatism.
If your prescription is stronger than these limits, you may want to consider an alternative procedure for the best results. In addition to having a stable prescription, your eyes must be generally healthy in order to undergo laser eye surgery. If you have an eye infection, severe dry eyes, or conjunctivitis (pink eye), you won't be able to have the procedure until your eyes have healed. Your free consultation will let you know if you are a candidate for LASIK surgery, and if not, your doctor may be able to tell you about other options. When you have laser eye surgery, your LASIK surgeon corrects your vision according to the prescription prescribed at that time. It's important for patients to share their complete medical history with their surgeon to ensure a nomination recommendation based on all available data. The shape of the cornea can also change (especially if you retain water), which is problematic for LASIK surgery, as surgeons use measurements from this part of the eye to determine where corneal tissue should be removed to improve vision.
To find out if you qualify for this vision correction procedure, it's important that you understand the criteria and that you first undergo a LASIK self-test. In addition to considering your overall eye health, there are other characteristics of your eye that determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Fluctuations in vision, decreased tear production, and sensitivity to light are common eye changes experienced during this time. Keep in mind that these qualifying prescribing parameters may vary depending on your patient profile, the surgical method, and the evaluation results performed by your eye doctors and your LASIK specialist. Expect to talk about your medical history, your expectations and goals, and to undergo a thorough eye exam to determine if you're a qualified candidate for laser vision correction surgery.It's important to remember that not everyone is an ideal candidate for LASIK surgery. Your doctor will evaluate your eyes and discuss any potential risks or complications associated with the procedure before recommending it as an option.
If you don't meet the criteria for LASIK surgery or if there are any underlying conditions that could affect the outcome of the procedure, there may be other vision correction options available.
