Because Lasik eye surgery has become the most frequently performed procedure to treat myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism in recent years, many people think that laser eye surgery is a good option for everyone.

In reality, not every person is a good candidate for LASIK Vision Correction Surgery. However, you should be aware that there are alternate methods for correcting refractive problems. These procedures can help you see clearly without the need for glasses or contact lenses if you are not a candidate for LASIK.

Several conditions can hurt your chances of LASIK eligibility. In general, the best possible results are obtained when Laser Vision Correction procedures are performed on a healthy person with healthy eyes.

Your eligibility for LASIK is determined on an individual basis by taking into account your medical history, prescription, and other health factors. The only method for determining your unique visual requirements and whether LASIK is the right procedure for you is to visit your eye doctor for a thorough eye exam.

However, before going to your LASIK eye surgery consultation, I will give you an overview about general requirements that can guide you in deciding if LASIK is the right procedure for you.

You must be 18 years of age or older

Most Lasik surgeons agree that 18 is the minimal age for laser vision correction surgery because it is the age at which your eyes are fully developed. Although LASIK has been successfully used to treat vision errors in adults, the FDA has not approved the treatment for anyone under the age of 18.

As an exception, patients younger than these ages who have significant anisometropia may be treated with LASIK regardless of the minimal age criteria.

Your vision must be stable

Even if you are over the age of 18, your prescription may still be changing. Having a stable prescription is essential if you want your LASIK surgery to be as effective as possible. Most lasik surgeons recommend that you have a stable vision prescription for at least 12 months before performing LASIK.

Changes to your corrective eyewear prescription may indicate that your corneas are changing and that the results of LASIK surgery could be short lived.

Your vision prescription must be within certain limits

Although your eyeglasses prescription is just one of several factors your lasik surgeon considers before recommending laser vision correction, checking your eye prescription is a good idea to find out if you if LASIK is right for you.

Your eye prescription should fall within certain limits. During your lasik consultation your Lasik surgeon will assess the degree of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and/or astigmatism you have and determine whether your eye prescription is within the recommended treatment range for LASIK vision correction surgery.

Other vision correction procedures, such as phakic IOL implants or refractive lens exchange, may be suitable options if your prescription is too high for LASIK.

Your eyes must be healthy

In order to be candidate for LASIK vision correction surgery, your eyes must be in good health and free of any corneal such as keratoconus (a progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea) or external eye problems.

Certain eye problems like infections, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and chronic dry eye must be treated before LASIK can be performed.

Specific eye diseases and conditions, including; severe cataracts, uncontrolled glaucoma and certain retinal and optic nerve diseases can break your eligibility for LASIK or other laser vision correction procedures like PRK.

Your cornea must have sufficient thickness

LASIK surgery improves your vision by making a flap in the cornea. After the flap’s creation, an excimer laser reshapes the cornea. You should be aware that you need to have enough corneal thickness to correct your eyesight by LASIK. The amount depends on how much refractive error you have.

Your LASIK surgeon will make sure that a minimum quantity of corneal tissue will be left unaffected by the LASIK treatment after the flap is made and the excimer laser is used. With Femto LASIK, the surgeon may be able to safely correct greater amounts of refractive error by using a thinner corneal flap.

If your corneas are too thin, you cannot safely have the LASIK procedure, then other LASIK alternatives such as PRK, phakic IOL implants or refractive lens exchange might be a better option for you.

You must be in good health

Even though LASIK is a quick and easy surgical procedure, it is still a surgery. You should be generally in good general health, this facilitates effective LASIK recovery.

If you have any uncontrolled degenerative conditions or uncontrolled autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus may put you at risk for corneal complications, infection and irregular healing. LASIK may be performed in diabetic patients with well-controlled glycemic levels and no systemic or ocular complications.

Your eye doctor will guide you through your lasik consultation and let you know if any pre-existing medical conditions will prevent you from having LASIK. You should tell your surgeon about all the medications you are taking or have taken within the past year.

You must have realistic expectations

Although LASIK will almost certainly improve your vision and reduce your dependence on glasses and contact lenses, you might still need glasses for some activities, like driving at night.

It is important to know that LASIK does not prevent or completely correct presbyopia, which commonly starts to appear around age 40. After surgery, this patient might still require reading glasses.

Your final satisfaction with your LASIK procedure outcome depends mostly on having realistic expectations, so before making your decision to have LASIK, you should be fully aware of the possible advantages, disadvantages, outcomes, risks and potential LASIK complications.