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Are You a Good LASIK Candidate?
Posted by: Georgia Eye Partners in News and Updates
Do you wake up every morning questioning where you put your glasses or with blurry vision because you need to put in your contacts? Are you wondering if there’s a better way that would let you stop depending on visual aids to see?
If you have refractive errors, you may have already thought about the possibility of a vision correction procedure. Depending on visual aids like contact lenses and glasses can be frustrating.
This is where permanent vision correction procedures like LASIK that help you achieve visual freedom from these come into play. LASIK can even correct your vision beyond what you were able to achieve with visual aids, so it’s better than your original prescription!
Knowing all this, what’s stopping you from scheduling a LASIK consultation? You may not think you’re a good candidate for LASIK, but most people qualify for the procedure.
There’s also no commitment when you have a LASIK consultation, so what’s the harm in discovering more about LASIK and if you could be a candidate? Keep reading to learn more about LASIK and if you could be a good LASIK candidate!
What is LASIK?
Before you can undergo anything, you need to know what LASIK is and how it works. Yes, it corrects your vision, but it does more than that.
LASIK is a refractive vision correction procedure that permanently reshapes your cornea to correct refractive errors. Refractive errors include nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
If you’re nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism, these occur because of the shape of your cornea. Irregularities in the cornea change how light refracts through your eye, causing visual distortions and blurry vision.
LASIK uses a femtosecond laser and an excimer laser to remove a precise amount of tissue from the cornea to reshape it and correct refractive errors, improving your vision and allowing you to see more clearly than ever before.
What sets LASIK apart and makes it different from other laser vision correction procedures is it creates a flap in the cornea. Before removing any tissue from your cornea, your LASIK surgeon will make a flap from the top of the cornea.
They will then lift the top of the cornea to access the tissues under it. Any necessary reshaping is then performed under the flap before replacing it, where it acts as a natural bandage as the eyes heal. There are no stitches or sutures needed.
This technique makes LASIK less invasive than earlier laser procedures and more popular due to a shorter, more comfortable recovery. Patients start experiencing almost instant improvements to their vision and can return to what they love faster.
What’s more, you’re doing these things with better vision than you ever thought possible. But if you love the idea of LASIK, the next step is finding out if you’re a good candidate for the procedure.
Age
To have LASIK, you need to be at least 18. LASIK is only FDA-approved for patients 18 and older.
Why does it matter how old you are when you get LASIK? Your age matters because your body is likely to still be developing if you’re not yet 18. Puberty has a hand to play here.
If you’re still developing (and this includes your eyes), your eyesight is more subject to change. Because LASIK is only correcting your current refractive errors, it’s less effective when your eyesight changes after the vision correction procedure.
For this reason and to achieve the best results, you must have stable vision to have LASIK. If you’re under 18, you’ll have to wait to have LASIK but to achieve that much-desired visual freedom from glasses and contact lenses, it’s more than worth the wait!
Why wait? Schedule your LASIK consultation at Georgia Eye Partners now!
Vision Stability
If you’re over 18, your vision may still be unstable. Unfortunately, being 18 or older isn’t a magic number that guarantees your vision will stabilize.
You could experience more changes to your prescription, especially if you’re younger. However, a crucial component of the procedure is having a stable prescription if you want to be a good LASIK candidate.
That means your vision needs to remain unchanged for a year or more before you can consider LASIK. Your LASIK surgeon may prefer patients whose vision hasn’t changed in at least two years.
Vision stability makes a big difference if you want the best possible results when you have LASIK. If your eyes are still changing, wait to have LASIK until they have stabilized.
Are you a good LASIK candidate? Find out now by taking our LASIK self-test!
Prescription Limits
LASIK can correct your vision even if you have a high refractive error. However, there are still limits to what it can treat.
LASIK can correct up to -11.00 diopters of nearsightedness, +5.00 diopters of farsightedness, and 5.00 diopters of astigmatism. If your prescription is stronger than this, you probably won’t be a good candidate for LASIK.
However, you may be a better candidate for an alternative procedure like PRK, which you can discuss with your Georgia Eye Partners ophthalmologist during your LASIK consultation.
Good Health
You must be in good health for an elective procedure like LASIK. Part of this includes being unable to have LASIK if you’re pregnant or nursing.
You also may not be able to have LASIK if you have diabetes or any autoimmune conditions, as these may impact your ability to heal or recover after the vision correction procedure. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may qualify for LASIK.
Still, it depends on the condition, severity, and potential risks your LASIK surgeon determines. However, if you’re in good health, there’s a good chance you should qualify for LASIK.
Having Healthy Eyes
In addition to being in good health, you also need to have healthy eyes to get LASIK. You shouldn’t have any pre-existing eye conditions beyond refractive errors. If you have any eye conditions, these must be treated and under control before you can have LASIK.
One common condition that can interfere with your ability to heal from LASIK is dry eye. The good news is that if you have dry eyes, you may still be able to have LASIK.
The key is treating the condition to improve your overall tear production and quality. You’ll have your tears evaluated during the LASIK screening process so your surgeon can ensure everything is working well and you’ll recover safely after LASIK without having to worry about the procedure exacerbating your dry eyes.
Corneal Thickness
Because LASIK creates a flap in the cornea, you need thick enough corneas to undergo the procedure. If your corneas are too thin, they won’t be able to accommodate making the flap while leaving enough tissue on the corneal bed.
Thinner corneas won’t leave enough tissue in the bed, which can lead to serious visual complications. The only way to find out if your corneas are thick enough for LASIK is by having a LASIK consultation.
Most people have thick enough corneas, but your LASIK surgeon will measure your corneas during your LASIK consultation. If your corneas are not thick enough, your LASIK surgeon may recommend an alternative vision correction procedure to help you achieve your goals of visual freedom instead.
Realistic Expectations
Any potential LASIK candidate needs to be aware of the potential risks and benefits of having LASIK. Before any surgical procedure, including LASIK, you need to have realistic expectations.
You may not achieve the visual improvements you’re expecting. It’s highly likely you will, but it’s not guaranteed. Most patients who have LASIK end up with 20/20 vision or better. It’s also no accident that LASIK has a 96% success rate with patients!
LASIK is considered safe and very low risk, but no surgery is entirely risk-free. Make sure you talk to your LASIK surgeon about any potential complications.
Having this information will help you put yourself at ease. It will also help build a relationship and a foundation of trust with your LASIK surgeon.
Also, ask them what you should know before, during, and after the procedure to make you comfortable with what to expect. Once you’re aware of all the risks and everything LASIK entails, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to have the procedure.
Are you ready to learn more about LASIK and if you could be a good candidate for this incredible life-changing procedure? Take the first step by scheduling your LASIK consultation at Georgia Eye Partners in Atlanta, GA, now!
Isn’t it time to experience what the best vision of your life could be like? Don’t wait any longer!
