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If you’ve struggled with glasses and/or contacts for years, the thought of pursuing LASIK can be an exciting one. Spending the rest of your life not having to remember where you put your glasses or making room in your budget every month for the maintenance of your contact lenses is a welcome idea.
But are you a good candidate for LASIK?
The first factor to consider is your age. To qualify for LASIK you need to be at least 18 years old and have a stable prescription.. This means there should be no change in your Rx for at least a year.
Your health is a major contributing factor. If you are in good general health, you could be a prime candidate for LASIK. Medical conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune or certain vascular diseases, or medications that could compromise immune systems might disqualify you from LASIK.
When considering you as a LASIK candidate, doctors take your eye health into consideration. If you suffer from cataracts, glaucoma, or certain retinal diseases, you may not be able to benefit from LASIK. Also, diseases such as herpes simplex or herpes zoster could impede the process from being successful.
If you suffer from chronic dry eye, you might not be a good candidate for LASIK because the surgery could worsen that condition.
If you wear contact lenses, you will have to avoid wearing them for a period of time that will be determined by your doctor. This will allow your cornea to be stable and will allow the doctor to give an accurate assessment for any procedures.
The health and condition of your cornea are a major factor in your qualifications as a LASIK candidate. If you have a cornea that has been scarred in some way from previous eye surgery or eye injuries, it could disqualify you from LASIK. The only way to determine if the damage or previous eye surgery is disqualifying is to have an examination from a LASIK doctor.
If your cornea is too thin, you might not be able to undergo the LASIK procedure. During the LASIK process, small parts of the cornea are removed to correct the curvature of the cornea. This could increase the risk of corneal weakening in very thin corneas.
Finally, if you are pregnant or nursing, it’s not the time for you to seek LASIK.
As with any medical procedure, there are exceptions to the rule, depending on a number of factors that only your doctor would be able to determine for you. Even if some of the caveats in this article apply to you, advances in LASIK technology are happening all the time that could make your LASIK desires a reality nonetheless.
If you want to explore how LASIK could enhance your life, contact OCLI today!
