In truth, laser eye surgery is one of the best corrective measures for curing many vision problems, including hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, and other severe eye infections. Once you undergo the less-than-an-hour procedure, you can be sure of experiencing a perfect vision without any negativity.
Laser eye surgery is an excellent way to restore severely damaged vision. But, not everyone can have the surgery. That’s why expert eye doctors recommend patients go for interview sessions to confirm their eligibility.
Yes, you can have successful laser eye surgery if you are a male or female adult. Still, there are other standards you MUST tick before you can approach a laser eye surgery center nearby. Failure to meet up automatically means you are not a good candidate for the procedure. And in that instance, you should choose other vision corrective options to avoid exposing your eyes to further complications that may pose temporary or permanent infections on your eyes. Learn more about any age limit for laser eye surgery?
Additionally, laser eye surgery helps you enjoy a lens-free lifestyle and improve your general productivity. If you have wondered why most people choose the laser option over eyeglasses and contact lenses, I hope you have found some answers.
So, what are the criteria to know you are qualified for laser eye surgery? Let’s consider the best eight as veteran ophthalmologists recommend worldwide.
8 Criteria to Qualify For a Successful Laser Eye Surgery
1. Your eyes must be in a perfect health condition
Of course, the primary reason you need laser eye surgery is to cure your eye infections. Yet, your eyes need to be generally healthy to have a successful surgery with the best results. Otherwise, you might be exposing your eyes to more severe eye conditions.
Typically, your eye doctors would refer you to an optometrist who performs a general checkup on your eyes to confirm if your eyes are good enough to undergo laser surgery. The optometrist will direct you to an ophthalmologist who performs laser eye surgery.
If you have some existing eye infections, dry eyes, or some degenerative eye diseases, your optometrist would be obliged to first treat the eye infections before referring you to an ophthalmologist for laser surgery. If the current issues seriously damage your eyes, laser eye surgery is not an option for you.
2. Your body must be in good health
When it comes to having laser eye surgery, it’s not all about the eyes. Although the procedure helps to fix eye problems, it requires that your body is perfectly healthy before the surgery.
As much as your eyes need to be in good health, your entire body must also be free of diseases before you step into any laser eye surgery center. If you have some medical conditions that can make you prone to infections, your optometrist may advise you to consider eyeglasses or contact lenses as better alternatives.
Also, medical conditions that can prevent the surgery’s natural healing process can disqualify you from being enrolled for laser eye surgery.
A few of the common health conditions that can prevent you from having laser eye surgery include:
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Autoimmune disorder
- Chronic pain conditions
If you have any health conditions mentioned above, you might not be a good candidate for laser eye surgery.
3. You must be in your 20s
Of course, an adult is eligible for a laser procedure, starting at 18 years. But, expert optometrists recommend that eye patients wait till their mid-20s for the best results. Why? It is simply because people’s prescription changes more significantly during the early adult years and stabilizes for some time before age-related sight changes begin. Therefore, it’s best to wait till the mid-20s before going for laser eye surgery. If your eye condition requires an instant response at 18 years, you might opt for contact lenses for a few years before going for a laser.
4. Your lens prescription must be within the approved range
If you want a successful laser eye surgery, you must be sure your prescriptions are neither too high nor too low for the range. Medical experts recommend laser eye surgery for patients with approximately +6.00 diopters of hyperopia, -12 diopters of myopia, and 6.00 diopters of astigmatism. Amazingly, your ophthalmologist may disqualify you for laser eye surgery even if you meet up with the above-listed ranges.
5. You must have a stable vision
If you meet the vision prescription range, but it changes every six months or yearly, your ophthalmologist might not recommend you for laser eye surgery. For the records, laser eye surgery can only correct your vision using your current prescription. Should your vision change, you may have to settle for eyeglasses or enroll for another laser procedure.
6. You must not be pregnant
This tip might not be favorable to women, but it’s safer. Pregnancy hormones affect almost every body system, and that includes vision. Pregnant women may experience vision changes after the baby is born. As a result, ophthalmologists only perform laser eye surgery after pregnancy. If you develop any eye infection during pregnancy, contact lenses and eyeglasses are good corrective options for that period.
7. You must have a thick cornea
During surgery, your ophthalmologist would have to use a laser to shave the cornea. So, if your cornea is not thick enough, it might not remain functional and healthy afterward. Your corneal thickness must average between 540 and 560µm before you can qualify for laser eye surgery.
8. You must be sure laser eye surgery is your best option
Many people enroll for laser eye surgery without being diagnosed and recommended. Consequently, they end up exposing their eyes to further complications. For the best result, you must be sure that your optometrist has conducted the necessary eye tests and has recommended you for the procedure before contacting your ophthalmologist. Otherwise, you may come back with a worse vision.
Final Thoughts
Laser eye surgery is super effective for restoring even the severely-damaged vision into its initial perfect state. But, you must be sure you are a good candidate for the procedure to get your desired result. Make sure you contact your eye doctor for professional advice and recommendations before enrolling for the surgery to avoid further damage and health complications.
