Are you tired of wearing glasses or contacts? Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you were free of glasses and contacts? How much easier would most every activity be without contacts or glasses?
If any of these questions have crossed your mind, why not find out if you’re a good candidate for LASIK? It is easy to make an appointment for a free consultation and you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain by taking this one step and learning more. Most people who want LASIK are good matches, which is about 75% – 80% of patients. Keep reading for some of the guidelines used to determine LASIK candidacy!
FDA Treatment Guidelines
To get LASIK, your prescription needs to be within the FDA treatment guidelines. Since these guidelines have changed over time as LASIK has improved with better technology, don’t assume your prescription is too strong. Many people who were once told they were not a good candidate are discovering that they are a candidate now.
Eye Health and Prescription Stability
To get LASIK, you need to be at least 18 years old and have mature eyes. This is the earliest for whom the FDA has approved the procedure.
Also, patients must have stable vision for two consecutive years. This means your prescription has not changed within two years.
It is important that patients’ eyes are healthy. This means they are free of diseases, infections, and injuries.
Your eyes need to be healthy so that they heal correctly post-surgery.
Good Health
Certain medical conditions and medications can make the recovery process challenging. LASIK is a bad choice if you have one of them.
Patients need to share their complete medical history with their surgeon. This is the only way they make the best decision.
Cornea Shape
LASIK corrects your vision by changing your cornea’s shape. The cornea is the part of the eye that focuses light to create an image on your retina.
If the cornea is the wrong shape or too thin, the procedure might not be as effective. In the first consultation, the doctor will measure the thickness and look at the shape of your cornea.
They do this to make sure that they can reshape it enough to get the right results. If your corneas are too thin, your doctor may recommend another vision correction procedure.
Manage Expectations
There are limitations on LASIK eye surgery. It’s important to have realistic expectations. Uninformed patients with unrealistic expectations may not get the results they want.
The whole process needs to be explained to you, so you understand everything in the consent form. You should ask your doctor any questions about the procedure to make sure you understand.
Are you ready to find out if you could be a good LASIK candidate? Schedule a free LASIK consultation at VisionPoint Eye Center in Bloomington or Champaign, IL today!