5 criteria for LASIK candidates

Most people who have worn glasses or contacts have wondered what it would be like to ditch the lenses and have LASIK laser vision correction. But how do you know if you’re a good candidate for this procedure? We break down some of the key criteria to consider as you prepare for your consultation with your eye doctor.

You have a stable prescription. This means your prescription for contacts or glasses hasn’t changed for two years. Once your vision stabilizes, you are a candidate for LASIK as there is less likelihood that your nearsightedness or farsightedness would progress, and affect the results from LASIK surgery.

You are at least 18 years old. LASIK is FDA-approved for patients 18 years old and older. This is because your eyes have to achieve ocular maturity and be fully developed before LASIK can be performed. Your eye doctor will be able to tell you if your eyes have fully developed during your consultation and through vision tests.

Your eyes are healthy and free from diseases, injuries and infections. Cataracts and other ocular conditions and diseases can affect laser vision correction results.

You are in good health. You may not be a candidate if you have diabetes or an autoimmune disease such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Women who are pregnant should avoid LASIK until after they have recovered as your body goes through a lot of hormonal changes during this time and may affect your vision temporarily. Medications such as corticosteroids and acne medications may affect the healing process, so it’s important to talk to your eye doctor about your medical history and current health concerns during your consultation.

You have realistic expectations. Your eye doctor will go over all the pros and cons of LASIK surgery and help you understand the expectations you should have from the procedure, recovery and results.

LASIK vision correction can give you the freeing feeling of not having to constantly reach for glasses or spend time putting in contact lenses. If you’re ready to discuss LASIK with your eye doctor, schedule a consultation with Eye & LASIK Center today by calling (800) 676-5050.