7 Reasons You May Be A LASIK Candidate
Submitted by glacialcontent@glacial.com on May 20, 2021
If you would like to improve your eyesight and get rid of your glasses, LASIK may be for you. The procedure has been in use for several decades now, and it has been producing excellent outcomes since it came on the market.
Keep reading to learn more about LASIK and see if you are a good candidate for this life-changing vision correction procedure.
Why is LASIK so Successful?
Over ninety percent of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision after the procedure. And it has a ninety-six percent satisfaction rate among patients. These are very high numbers for a medical procedure.
One of the primary reasons LASIK is so successful is because it has a rigorous patient candidacy process. Only people who are good candidates can undergo LASIK.
There are some strict criteria you must meet to be a good candidate for LASIK. Some of these criteria you have control over.
Some of them may mean you have to find an alternative procedure to achieve similar results. Here are some qualities of a good candidate for LASIK.
Your Vision is Stable
LASIK works by reshaping your corneas. That makes it possible for light to pass through them to get clearly focused on your retina.
However, your corneas can change due to a variety of factors. If you are going through a period of vision change, then you cannot get LASIK.
LASIK could correct your vision only to have it worsen after the procedure. You should have at least one year with the same prescription before considering LASIK.
Many of the candidacy requirements are to ensure your eyesight is stable. Age, pregnancy, and other factors that affect your eyes must be steady for you to undergo LASIK.
You Are Old Enough
LASIK is FDA-approved for people over the age of eighteen. But most ophthalmologists require LASIK patients to be in their mid to late twenties.
By this age, your corneas are stable and won’t change shape after the LASIK procedure. Your vision doesn’t reach full maturity until you are well into adulthood.
That is why children and young adults are more likely to experience vision changes. Your body needs to stop changing for LASIK to be effective for you. If your prescription changes after the procedure, it could ruin your LASIK results.
You Are Not Pregnant
Like growth hormones, pregnancy hormones can affect your eyesight. Being pregnant causes your prescription to change in unpredictable ways.
You will have to wait a few months after you finish nursing before considering LASIK. Waiting gives your vision time to stabilize after the hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy and nursing.
Your Eyes Are Healthy
Since your eyes will undergo a medical procedure, it makes sense that they need to be healthy. During recovery, your eyes will be prone to infection, injury, and dryness.
At best, chronic dry eye, an eye infection, or an eye injury, can make your recovery more difficult. At worst, they can make your recovery from LASIK dangerous.
Your Body is Healthy
Your Body is HealthyEven though LASIK is minimally invasive, it still has a somewhat lengthy recovery period. Certain diseases or conditions can interfere with your body’s natural healing capabilities.
Diabetes, Sjogren’s syndrome, and other autoimmune disorders can make it hard for your body to heal. Your eye doctor will help determine if you are healthy enough for LASIK.
Your Corneal Thickness is Correct
LASIK reshapes your corneas by removing small amounts of tissues from them. If your corneas are too thin for this tissue removal, LASIK can be dangerous for you.
Your eye doctor will measure your corneas during your LASIK consultation to ensure they are thick enough. If they are too thin, there are LASIK alternatives that could be suitable for you.
You Have the Right Mindset
A successful LASIK procedure is a team effort and requires both the surgeon and the patient to be on the same page. Your surgeon’s few minutes working on your eyes are critical.
But as important is your preparation before LASIK and commitment to recovery after. You must be willing to follow your surgeon’s instructions for pre and post-procedure care.
Also, you should understand the risks and have realistic expectations for the procedure. Even under the best of circumstances, LASIK may not be able to end your need for glasses completely.
But, an uncomplicated procedure will reduce your dependence on glasses. More often than not, smooth procedures produce outstanding results. Your preparation and care during recovery helps to ensure your procedure is successful.
Alternatives to LASIK
You will find out if you are a good candidate for LASIK during a LASIK consultation. Your eye doctor will ask you a set of questions and examine your eyes to determine your eligibility.
If you are not eligible for LASIK, you have other options. If your age prevents you from receiving LASIK, you can wait until you have stable vision. Other procedures are better suited for patients who are in their forties or older.
If a disease or eye issue makes you ineligible, you need to treat that problem first to undergo LASIK. However, some issues are untreatable and will not correct on their own.
For example, if you have thin corneas, they will not get thicker with time. But, there may be a different procedure that is just as effective for you.
A common alternative to LASIK is LASEK. They are very similar to each other, except during LASEK, the top layer of corneal tissue gets completely removed.
During LASIK, this tissue, called the epithelium, remains attached as a flap. It gets replaced at the end of the procedure.
The epithelium gets reattached at the end of a LASEK procedure as well. But instead of making a flap with it during LASEK, it is completely removed and then replaced at the end.
LASEK has a lengthier recovery time, but the results can be just as impressive.
Do you live in Long Island and want to learn more about LASIK Eye Surgery? at TOC Eye® in Wading River, NY, today. Come find out if LASIK is right for you!
