How You Can Qualify As a Good Candidate For Lasik Eye Surgery

  Last Updated on May 14, 2024 by Aaron Barriga

Recent data has confirmed that the complication rate with LASIK eye surgery is less than 1% and rarely do the complications have a significant impact. Also, the risk of eye infections following a LASIK eye surgery is negligible. LASIK eye surgery has come a long way with evolving advances in medical technology and this is why the requirements for LASIK surgery have also become relatively relaxed. However, the procedure is not right for everyone and so, LASIK eye surgery candidate is required to undergo a preoperative eye evaluation to help determine if they are eligible.

While there are many eye defects LASIK can treat effectively, the candidate must meet the following eligibility criteria to experience a positive outcome:

 

• Your Age

 

 

1. 1. • If you are under 21 years of age, your ophthalmologist may recommend that you wait till your vision stabilizes.
      • If you are in your early 40’s, it is important for you to know that you may still need reading glasses at a later stage in your life.
      • If you are in your 60’s, your eyes need to be assessed for any pre-existing cataracts that can interfere with the outcome of your LASIK eye surgery.
      • If you have cataracts, a corrective surgery might actually work to restore your vision apart from correcting any eye condition that you might have.

 

1. 1. You Don’t Suffer From any Eye Diseases
      Potential candidates should not be suffering from any eye diseases including corneal disease, keratoconus, glaucoma, cataracts, optic nerve diseases and certain retinal diseases. Also, LASIK eye surgery candidate must exhibit good general eye health and should not be suffering from specific eye conditions like herpes zoster or herpes simplex.

 

1. 1. Your Eyes Have Not Suffered any Injury So Far
      Lasik surgery candidate should not have suffered any eye injuries or infections.

 

1. 1. Overall Health
      A candidate for LASIK must be healthy and free from autoimmune diseases, uncontrolled diabetes, or collagen vascular disease. Also, they should not be undergoing any treatment where they are prescribed any medication that can compromise the immunity of the patient.

 

1. 1. You are Neither Nursing nor Pregnant
      LASIK eye surgery candidate should not be pregnant or nursing mother because the hormonal fluctuations occurring during this stage affect the stability of your prescription. This is why lactating mothers or expecting women don’t qualify for a LASIK procedure until they discontinue nursing and complete at least three menstrual cycles.

 

1. 1. You Have Stable Vision
      LASIK eye surgery candidate must have stable vision for at least a year before they can undergo a minimally invasive LASIK procedure.

 

1. You Have Not Been Wearing Contacts Recently
   Ophthalmologists recommend that prior to undergoing a LASIK eye surgery, potential candidates must not wear contacts for a specific time frame which is typically determined by your ophthalmologist depending on your unique eye condition. This facilitates precise assessment of the patient’s prescription and also ensures corneal stability before the LASIK eye surgery can be performed.

The Medical Checklist Your Eye Doctor will look at before LASIK eye surgery

This is the medical checklist that you should work out with your doctor before opting for LASIK eye surgery:

• • Corneal Examination

A corneal examination is done to determine the thickness of the corneal walls, corneal strength, and also look for corneal diseases or abnormalities before LASIK. A thin cornea can cause problems and thus make you non-eligible for LASIK.

• • Check the Intraocular Pressure

This is done to rule out the chances of glaucoma, an eye condition caused by an increase of pressure in the eyes that could possibly damage your vision and optic nerve.

• • Check Eye Lubrication

Determining the lubrication in the eyes is important as it will determine if you are at an increased risk of dryness post surgery. You can go ahead with LASIK eye surgery if the tear production is satisfactory.

• • Determine the Pupil Size

Since a larger pupil size can increase the risk for side effects like glare or halos post surgery, your doctor will also do a few tests to determine your pupil size.

• • Check the Image Quality of Eyes

Your doctor will also determine the quality of the image your eye can produce after it is fully corrected with glasses. The ‘aberrations’ will be measured and it would be assured that the eye is properly focused and capable of producing good images.

• • Note Your Medical History

Your doctor needs to understand your medical history that might be a possible hindrance to your vision before you go in for your LASIK operation.

If you want to make sure that you qualify as a LASIK eye surgery candidate, schedule a consultation with the most trusted ophthalmologist in Fresno – Dr. Eric J Poulsen at InSight Vision Center.