Are You A Good Candidate for The Lasik Procedure?

So many people are interested in the Lasik vision correction procedure, and want to know the cost of Lasik eye surgery, the benefits, the risks, and how the Lasik procedure works.  One of the first things to consider is what requirements a person should meet in order to have a successful Lasik procedure.  Though each individual case should be discussed with a qualified Lasik physician, here are some guidelines to see if you are a good candidate for Lasik vision correction.

Age Requirement

First, the eye should be properly matured.  This means that anyone under the age of 18 really needs to wait before a Lasik procedure is done, for it is likely that the shape of their eye will continue to change for several years.Vision clariy will not be affected after the Lasik procedure as long as the shape of the eye doesn’t change.The age of 25 is the minimum age limit recommended by some Lasik physicians.

In addition to an age cutoff, the vision prescription for the Lasik eye surgery candidate should be stable for at least one year, and preferably for longer than that.For the same reason stated previously, the shape of the eye must stay the same after the surgery in order for the procedure to maintain its effectiveness.

One comment about age cutoffs should be made with regard to Lasik surgery.  There is no maximum age, as many patients in their fifties to their eighties have had a very successful Lasik procedure.  The main consideration in these cases is enough tear production for successful healing and lubrication after the Lasik vision correction.

Health

The eyes of the Lasik candidate should be healthy.As a result, no one with an injury, eye infection, or cornea scarring should undergoe a Lasik operation at the minimum for a year.Moreover, no chronic eye issues must be present, such as herpes infection.

A critical part is also the potential Lasik patient’s medical history.  Some chronic conditions, such as autoimmune disorders like Lupus, will prevent some people from being able to schedule a Lasik procedure.Be aware of any current medical conditions, as well as the ones from the past that are no longer an issue.In addition, pregnant women, or ones who are nursing, should avoid having lasik surgery for awhile.

A good Lasik physician will also not schedule people with dry eye syndrome for Lasik vision correction.  Having sufficient tear production is important, though for minor problems this may be aided by medication during the healing process.  In addition, those people with eyes that dilate very widely are not good candidates for Lasik. 

These are most of the most common reasons that a person should look at some other eye improvement choice other than Lasik.People who are generally healthy and get the procedure done by a qualified, professional Lasik physician will greatly benefit from it.  Look for a good Lasik center in your area and discuss your individual case in detail.

More: Lasik Eye Surgery Complications

Being Aware of Lasik Eye Surgery Risks

As with any surgery, lasik eye surgery risks are there. They are possibilities which may never occur, but as long as the patient is aware of the lasik eye surgery risks before agreeing to surgery, the surgeon performing the procedure would have the indemnity form in hand to protect them from being sued later, should the patient is not happy with the outcome.

Being Informed When Making a Decision

When you undergo your checkups for the surgery, you will be informed how much your vision can be improved, depending on what your original condition is and the thickness or damage to the cornea itself. While this is not considered to be a lasik eye surgery risk, knowing all the potential results will avoid any surprises after the surgery. If the chances of only going blind were there, you would not consider the lasik eye surgery risks at all and refuse point blank against the surgery.

Thank goodness for the technology of the laser that this has not been the case yet. Most would agree that some improvement in vision is better than none at all.

While there is a difference between lasik eye surgery risks and lasik eye surgery complications, they may seem to be closely related, but still remain far apart. The risks are things that could or could not happen as a result of surgery, or during surgery based on chance. Complications would be the things that create more problems, hitches and glitches, difficulties and worries.

At the end of the day, the patient requesting the lasik eye surgery and accepting the lasik eye surgery risks has to live with their decisions. Their vision will definitely be improved and most are happy they went through with it.

Even though there may be a bit of sensitivity to the eye area, it is recommended not to get other liquids in your eyes after surgery for at least the following week. Avoid getting pool water and soap in your eyes, as well as eye drops not prescribed by your surgeon to recover. You will receive a special eye drop prescription containing an anti-inflammatory element. This allows the damaged layers of the cornea not to become infected.

Follow Up Appointments Should Be Kept

You will be informed to follow through with all appointment that follows surgery, even if you feel your eyes seem fine. This is something that you cannot determine on your own, the surgeon who performed the procedure however has the knowledge and tools to make the judgement.

See Also: Cost of Lasik Eye Surgery