Lasik Vision Correction - Are You A Good Candidate?
Lasik vision correction is no longer promoted quite as widely and enthusiastically as it was only five years ago. Doctors are more cautious, and surgeons more discriminating when accepting patients as candidates for surgery.
Generally candidates fall relatively easily in one of three groups - good candidates, "less than ideal" candidates, and those who definitely should not consider a lasik procedure.
As with so much in life, extremes are contra-indications. Lasik vision correction is probably only a good idea for healthy people who have a low to moderate eye problem, and who find eyeglasses or contact lenses annoying or restrictive.
Good candidates
You need to be more than 18 years of age; lasik is not approved for anyone under that age, as young eyes change too much. You will have had a stable prescription for corrective lenses for at least two years - also to ensure that your eyes are not changing too much.
You must be affected by one or more of the three common conditions that lasik can treat - myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism (blurred vision caused by a badly-shaped cornea), or a combination of these three.
You should not suffer from eye diseases, or indeed any other disease that might impact on the effectiveness of surgery, or on your ability to heal quickly.
Your cornea must be at least 500 microns thick, to allow enough depth for the surgeon to create the required corneal flap.
Your pupils must not dilate more than seven millimeters in the dark, or else you will be much more likely to suffer from night vision problems such as halos or glare after any lasik vision correction.
The "less than good" candidates
If you fall into this category be very cautious. Make sure you understand the risks; the "informed consent" your surgeon will ask for means exactly that - you have understood the risks and given permission for the surgery to go ahead.
If you have a history of "dry eyes", you may find that this condition will worsen after lasik vision correction.
If you ever had ocular herpes at least a year must have passed since the initial diagnosis, as lasik can cause a recurrence.
If you have an autoimmune disease such as diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease you may have problems healing after surgery.
Some medicines such as steroids or immunosuppressants can also cause slow healing.
Scarring on the cornea is a contra-indication, although it may not be an absolute negative.
While people with contact lenses do play contact sports, is it really a good idea to have lasik vision correction if box, wrestle, play karate or take part in other activities where a blow to the face can be a normal occurrence?
Non-candidates
Don't consider lasik if you are pregnant or nursing, or will be within six months. Any change in your hormone levels could also cause changes in the tissue in your eyes.
Past eye surgery may also be an absolute disqualifier, although modern techniques can sometimes be used to offset the results of earlier, less-sophisticated refractive procedures.
Lasik is out if you have cataracts, suffer from advanced glaucoma, your cornea is too thin or you suffer from a disorder that thins your cornea, or your eye problems are too severe for lasik vision correction to be considered.
Generally candidates fall relatively easily in one of three groups - good candidates, "less than ideal" candidates, and those who definitely should not consider a lasik procedure.
As with so much in life, extremes are contra-indications. Lasik vision correction is probably only a good idea for healthy people who have a low to moderate eye problem, and who find eyeglasses or contact lenses annoying or restrictive.
Good candidates
You need to be more than 18 years of age; lasik is not approved for anyone under that age, as young eyes change too much. You will have had a stable prescription for corrective lenses for at least two years - also to ensure that your eyes are not changing too much.
You must be affected by one or more of the three common conditions that lasik can treat - myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism (blurred vision caused by a badly-shaped cornea), or a combination of these three.
You should not suffer from eye diseases, or indeed any other disease that might impact on the effectiveness of surgery, or on your ability to heal quickly.
Your cornea must be at least 500 microns thick, to allow enough depth for the surgeon to create the required corneal flap.
Your pupils must not dilate more than seven millimeters in the dark, or else you will be much more likely to suffer from night vision problems such as halos or glare after any lasik vision correction.
The "less than good" candidates
If you fall into this category be very cautious. Make sure you understand the risks; the "informed consent" your surgeon will ask for means exactly that - you have understood the risks and given permission for the surgery to go ahead.
If you have a history of "dry eyes", you may find that this condition will worsen after lasik vision correction.
If you ever had ocular herpes at least a year must have passed since the initial diagnosis, as lasik can cause a recurrence.
If you have an autoimmune disease such as diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn's disease you may have problems healing after surgery.
Some medicines such as steroids or immunosuppressants can also cause slow healing.
Scarring on the cornea is a contra-indication, although it may not be an absolute negative.
While people with contact lenses do play contact sports, is it really a good idea to have lasik vision correction if box, wrestle, play karate or take part in other activities where a blow to the face can be a normal occurrence?
Non-candidates
Don't consider lasik if you are pregnant or nursing, or will be within six months. Any change in your hormone levels could also cause changes in the tissue in your eyes.
Past eye surgery may also be an absolute disqualifier, although modern techniques can sometimes be used to offset the results of earlier, less-sophisticated refractive procedures.
Lasik is out if you have cataracts, suffer from advanced glaucoma, your cornea is too thin or you suffer from a disorder that thins your cornea, or your eye problems are too severe for lasik vision correction to be considered.
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