LASIK Candidacy

LASIK vision correction can be miraculous and easy, but not everybody is a good LASIK candidate. The best LASIK surgeons screen their potential patients very rigorously. Performing any surgery on a poor candidate makes complications more likely, and LASIK is no exception.

LASIK corrects three common vision problems and if you are suffering from any of these, you may be a good candidate:

Nearsightedness (myopia)
Farsightedness (hyperopia)
Astigmatism

In addition you must:

Be over 18 years of age – so that your eyes and vision are fully matured
Have no changes in prescription during the year before your LASIK surgery
Have no eye infection or injury for at least a year
Have no corneal scarring
Have no Dry Eye Syndrome – although mild dryness might be acceptable and it would be your eye surgeon’s judgment call. Some medications cause dry eyes so be sure to tell your eye surgeon about all the medications you are taking.
Have no herpes infection in your eyes within the previous year
Not be pregnant or nursing
Have your diabetes under good control – your eye surgeon will assess this factor and make a decision in your individual case
Have no autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus. These could impair your healing.
Have no eye diseases such as cataracts, keratoconus or advanced glaucoma.

Cornea and Pupil Requirements

To be a good LASIK candidate you need to have:

Healthy corneas and average pupil size.

Average corneal thickness (or thicker than average). LASIK requires a corneal surface flap to be made. This gives access to the deeper corneal layer where treatment is done. The flap is then replaced and heals by itself. LASIK works by removing small amounts of corneal tissue according to your individual treatment plan.

Therefore corneal thickness must allow for the flap and the removal of tissue, and still have enough thickness to maintain the eyeball’s shape. The eyes are filled with fluid which exerts outward pressure on the eyeball wall and the cornea is part of the wall.

A dilated pupil size below seven millimeters. LASIK reshaping is done in the central area of the cornea, over the pupil. If your pupils dilate extra large in dim light, they will be admitting light from outside the treated area. This could give some degree of distorted vision.

Two Factors to Consider

If you engage in contact sports, you may be disqualified, as the risk of eye injury is greater after LASIK surgery.
You need to have realistic expectations. LASIK can give many people 20/20 vision, but not all. You might still need to use glasses or contact lenses, depending on your eyes’ refractive error to start with. Your eye surgeon can clarify this issue with you.

Accept the Risks of LASIK Surgery

All surgery brings a certain amount of risk. Your eye surgeon will explain the LASIK risks and have you sign a Patient Consent Form acknowledging that you understand and accept them.

When LASIK is performed by a fully-qualified and well-experienced eye surgeon, the risk of complication is very low. It is even lower if you follow your surgeon’s instructions to the letter and care for yourself as directed during your recovery period. But in rare cases there are still possible complications.

Surgical complications are not the same as side effects. A good LASIK candidate must accept the expected side effects, such as temporarily dry eyes. Side effects cause no lasting problems.

If you are a good candidate for LASIK, your surgery will be very safe and effective. If you are not a good candidate, you might still be able to have laser vision correction. There are alternatives such as PRK, IntraLase, and epi-LASIK.

You can read more about LASIK candidacy issues at our pages on Medications, Diabetes, Corneal Issues and Retinal Problems.

A thorough examination by a LASIK surgeon can determine your LASIK candidacy. Please contact a highly-qualified LASIK surgeon in your area.