Do You Qualify for Lasik?

Many people with vision problems have been resorting to Lasik eye surgeries to correct their problems. While the procedure is ideal for several people, there are many for whom the surgery is not advisable. So, if you are considering going in for Lasik corrective eye surgery, you should consider whether you are an ideal candidate to opt for it or not.

To be qualified as an ideal candidate for Lasik surgery, there are certain criteria that you need to fulfill. One of the prime most factors is that you should have attained an age of eighteen to be eligible and should be having some prescription for wearing contacts or glasses, should be with some eye condition but not having any disease related to the eye.

Many who enquire about Lasik do not know that the minimum age at which one can undergo Lasik is eighteen years of age. They also should be wearing prescription glasses or contacts for at least two years. Those in the age group below eighteen years can have certain changes in the eye due to growth that can directly influence the results of the Lasik procedure. Even the prescriptions provided for the past two years must be quite consistent and not changing as this could have a bearing on the result of the procedure.

The right candidates should have some eye conditions such as problems in the vision like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), asymmetrical corneal surface (astigmatism) or a grouping of any of these mentioned problems. The cornea must also have adequate thickness so that the specialist can operate on it to get a clean flap of adequate thickness. The dilation of pupils should not exceed seven millimeters in low light. If this is present, it is an indicator of other problems of vision like halo or glare.

Another eligibility criterion is that the patient should not have any eye diseases. They should also not have undergone any other eye surgery in the past. All these can have a bearing on the result of the surgery and can have effects on the healing. The people opting for the procedure should not have conditions such as Crohn’s disease, herpes infection, hepatitis or Lupus as these have some impact on the results and healing.

Added to these, the patient should not be suffering from any kind of infections of the eye or injury to the eye in the past year. The cornea should not be scarred for any reason. People suffering from dry eye are also not good candidates for the procedure as the dryness can increase once the surgery is completed. Pregnant women and those nursing a young one are also not eligible due to hormonal changes that occur during these periods which can affect the outcome. People suffering from conditions of the eye such as advanced glaucoma, cataract, diseases of the cornea and thin cornea are not considered good candidates for the procedure.

Lasik surgery is aimed at improving the person’s eyesight and the need for contacts or glasses although the need may not be completely eradicated. While a huge percentage of the patients are content with the results they get from the procedure, there is a small percentage who may not obtain the expected results. One needs to remember that Lasik is not a magic cure to perfect vision. Many patients will get some improved result and better vision. The results seen are much better in people who are near sighted.

Everyone opting for the procedure should realize that there are some associated risks with the surgery. So one should assess the risks involved and have sensible expectations regarding results. People not wishing to acknowledge the risks involved are better off not taking up the procedure. Discuss with the eye care specialist everything about the procedure including the advantages, disadvantages and the risks involved before giving the go ahead to conduct the surgery. The end results and the healing will differ from one individual to the other. So, prior to consenting to the surgery it is best to know in detail about the procedure.

Once a person has decided to go ahead with the Lasik surgery they should also consult with the ophthalmologist and check with the doctor if they are good candidates to go ahead with the procedure. The persons who are benefited the most from this corrective surgery are healthy individuals with low or moderate sight problems.