Everyone wants to have LASIK eye surgery, knowing its superior efficacies in correcting even the most severe vision imperfections. Not just about that, LASIK surgery helps people have a perfect vision for a lifetime without spending unnecessary expenses on frequent check-ups.
What’s LASIK?
LASIK means laser-assisted in situ Keratomileusis. It is an effective laser refractive vision correction surgery that restores the perfect vision of the eyes within a short time. Although, LASIK is not the only refractive procedure available. However, it is the most commonly performed and suggested eye surgery when the eye situation gets worse.
Since LASIK has become the best-known eye surgery in recent times, patients don’t hesitate to enroll for the procedure. But, how do you feel to know that not everyone is qualified to have much-trusted LASIK eye surgery? That’s your newest revelation.
As much as you want to have LASIK surgery, you might not be a qualified candidate for the procedure. Even if your vision problems require LASIK, you may have to consider getting eyeglasses or contact lenses.
So, what are the requirements to qualify for LASIK eye surgery? Without further ado, let’s get to the list.
The six requirements to qualify for a LASIK eye surgery
1. Your eyes must be free of infection
Qualifying for a LASIK procedure is not first about your vision correction needs. Your eyes must be in a state of perfect health. LASIK eye surgery cannot work for you if your eyesight is not in a state of perfect health.
When you meet a LASIK surgeon, he would first check your eyes for some infections such as dry eyes, conjunctivitis, and other related eye issues that can make the entire LASIK procedure wrong.
Meanwhile, having eye infections does not mean you can enroll for LASIK surgery later. Your ophthalmologist would only have to first treat every disorder in your eyes before prescribing LASIK. Hence, it is advisable first to consult an expert eye doctor for a thorough examination to know whether your eyes are fit for laser surgery.
2. You Must be healthy
The point above encourages you to make sure your eyes are healthy before going for a LASIK. Yes, but more than that, you as a person must be perfectly okay to be fit for a LASIK surgery. It is an essential factor in how quickly you heal after the procedure.
It is rather alarming that most people think LASIK is just for the eyes. In contrast, your body needs to be generally healthy to get the correct result. Have you seen why LASIK surgeons usually ask for a medical result of your overall body check-up before they proceed to the surgery? Now you get the drift.
3. You must be 18 years old and above
LASIK is not for babies and anyone under the age of 18. No matter how worse the patient’s vision can be, LASIK is not advisable even if you are a day younger than 18 years. Hence, before you advance to any LASIK center for surgery, first consider your age.
Averagely, LASIK eye surgery is mainly performed for patients around 20 years and above. LASIK surgeons recommend that people exceed 18 years with a margin to have a successful surgery. Meanwhile, that does not mean you can’t have it at 18 years. The two years margin is just for safety precautions.
However, there is no age limit for LASIK eye surgery; even the aged can successfully have LASIK surgery without complications.
4. Women must not be pregnant
Earlier in this post, we have learned that the body’s overall health matters when it comes to knowing who qualifies as a LASIK candidate. That’s why eye doctors don’t recommend LASIK surgery for pregnant women.
LASIK is not an ideal vision correction option for pregnant women for health reasons. Based on research, women undergo a few body changes during pregnancy that prevent them from enrolling for LASIK eye surgery.
If a pregnant woman develops an eye issue during pregnancy, she would have to opt for eyeglasses to correct her vision throughout the entire pregnancy months. It does not end there; the pregnant woman would have to wait for up to a year after delivery because women are not advised to have LASIK when breastfeeding. Little wonder, most LASIK patients ever recorded are men.
5. Average prescription range
Yes, LASIK eye surgery is the best for correcting impaired vision, but your eye issues have to fall within the normal prescription range. A very high prescription range can render the proved little or no effect.
Generally, FDA approves eye complications up to +6.00 farsightedness, +12.00 dioptres of near-sightedness, and 6.00 of astigmatism. These prescriptions are considered the normal range, but they can vary from one patient to another. So, you must conduct a general eye test to know if your case is LASIK worthy or not.
6. LASIK works only for a thick cornea
If you pass all the above requirements but have a thin cornea, you are still not qualified to have a LASIK procedure. One of the first tests your LASIK surgeon would conduct is to check if your cornea is thick and strong enough. Weak and thin cornea auo0maicall disqualifies you from having Lasik eye surgery.
Why? During a LASIK procedure, your surgeon would have to reshape your cornea. So, if your cornea is too weak or thin, it might result in some complications which may further damage the eyes.
Nevertheless, there’s nothing to worry about if your thin or weak cornea disqualifies you from having LASIK surgery. You can be qualified for other refractive laser surgery with similar procedures and results. Ensure you speak with your ophthalmologist to recommend the right one that can suit our cornea conditions.
Finally
You need to be ready for LASIK surgery if you want to go. The preparations begin with the initial check-up of the eyes and the entire body to determine your overall health status. Then, you need to discuss with your ophthalmologist whether you are qualified for the surgery or not. LASIK provides lasting results only if you are a suitable candidate.