Are you a good lasik candidate?
Will lasik eye surgery help you?
Is it an option you should consider?
Lasik eye correction is no longer sold quite as widely and enthusiastically as it was only five years ago. Doctors are more cautious, and surgeons more choosy about patients they will accept as Lasik candidates.
Generally a Lasik candidate will fall into one of three groups.
These are “good Lasik candidate”, “less than ideal” Lasik candidate, and those who definitely should not consider a lasik procedure.
As with so much in life, extremes generaly mean “don’t go there”.
Lasik eye surgery 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.
Good Lasik Candidate
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 – to make sure 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 affect the effectiveness of surgery, or 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. If they do you will be much more likely to suffer from night vision problems such as halos or glare after any lasik eye correction.
A “less than good” Lasik Candidate
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 agree that you have understood the risks you face as a possibly borderline Lasik candidate, and have given the OK for the surgery to go ahead.
If you have a history of “dry eyes”, you may find that this problem will get worse after lasik eye surgery.
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 a disease such as diabetes, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or Crohn’s disease you may have problems healing after surgery.
Some medicines such as steroids or immune system suppressants can also cause slow healing.
Scarring on the cornea is a problem, although it may not be an complete negative.
While people with contact lenses do play contact sports, is it really a good idea to have lasik eye correction if you box, wrestle, play karate or take part in other activities where a blow to the face can be a normal happening?
You’re Not a Lasik Candidate If…
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 to any potential Lasik candidate. However, modern techniques can sometimes be used to improve the results of earlier, less-sophisticated techniques.
Lasik is out if you have cataracts or suffer from advanced glaucoma. If your cornea is too thin, your eye problems are too severe for you to be considered an acceptable Lasik Candidate.
|
