Are you over needing glasses to see clearly? Are your eyes irritated because of your contact lenses?
After wearing glasses or contact lenses for a long time, they can become annoying. They may help you see but they can also irritate your eyes or make an outfit look less appealing.
After years of wearing glasses or contacts, you might start thinking about LASIK. If you’re starting to think about LASIK, it’s a good time to talk to your eye doctor about the procedure.
Not sure if LASIK could be right for you? Keep reading to learn more!
First, You Need To Be A Good LASIK Candidate
To start the process, you need to talk with your doctor to see if you are a good candidate for the procedure. LASIK is not a medically necessary procedure.
As an elective procedure, you need to decide if the risks are worth it. There aren’t many, but as a surgical procedure, there are always some to consider.
Learning about the results and what laser vision procedure is best for you is important. While you’re deciding on if you should get LASIK or not, listen to your doctor’s recommendations.
They test you to see if you meet the requirements or not. About 20% of potential LASIK candidates are not eligible for the procedure.
You Need To Meet FDA LASIK Requirements
If you want to get LASIK, you need to meet the FDA LASIK guidelines. The requirements are that you have up to +6.00 diopters of hyperopia and astigmatism.
You can have up to -12.00 diopters of nearsightedness. You must also be at least 18 years old to undergo the procedure.
You Must Be In Good Health
Another qualification is that you need to be in good health. There are specific medical conditions that can make it harder to recover from LASIK. This is why it’s so important to share your full medical history with your ophthalmologist.
Your Eyes Need To Be Healthy
Besides being in good health, you also need to have healthy eyes. Healthy eyes are disease, infection, and injury-free.
Having healthy eyes helps the recovery process. If you have any conditions like dry eye syndrome, they need to be under control before you can have LASIK.
You Need To Have A Stable Prescription
LASIK is only approved for patients 18 and older by the FDA. Most doctors like patients to be at least in their mid-twenties.
When you’re in your mid-twenties, your prescription has usually already stabilized. To qualify for LASIK, you need to have a stable prescription for at least a year to two years.
You Need To Have The Right Kind Of Cornea Shape
LASIK works because it changes the shape of your cornea to improve your vision. The cornea is what focuses light on your retina to create an image.
Patients with oddly shaped or thinner corneas might not be the best patients for LASIK. Your doctor will evaluate your cornea to make sure you can have the vision you want post-surgery.
If your corneas are too thin, you may be a better candidate for a procedure like PRK instead.
You Need To Have Realistic Expectations
LASIK is an amazing procedure, but like any procedure, you need to understand its limits. Talk with your doctor about what they are, so you love your final results.
If you aren’t educated about them, you might not like your final results.
If you meet these requirements, then LASIK could be right for you. The only way to know for sure is to have a LASIK consultation.
Do you feel ready to book a LASIK consultation? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Metro Eye Care in Paramus, NJ! Why wait if you’re tired of the constraints of glasses and contacts?
