Have you ever thought about having LASIK? As one of the most popular elective procedures in the world, most people who wear glasses or contact lenses have heard of LASIK.
You’ve probably even considered getting LASIK if you have a refractive error. But how do you know if you’re a good candidate for LASIK?
The good news is that most patients will qualify for LASIK! Around 85% of patients who have a LASIK consultation are good candidates for the procedure.
The first step to starting your journey to better vision is scheduling a LASIK consultation, and what better place to do that than at Loden Vision Centers in Nashville? If you live in Nashville, achieving the vision you want on your time has never been easier.
Are you wondering if you could be a good LASIK candidate before your LASIK consultation? Keep reading to learn about 8 signs you may be a good LASIK candidate in Nashville!
1. You’re 18 or Older
Stable vision is one of the most crucial components of a successful LASIK procedure. To have LASIK, you need eyesight that’s no longer changing.
If you’re under 18, you’re likely still going through puberty, which can impact your eyes. Many hormonal changes occur during puberty, and your prescription may vary or change because of that.
Waiting until you’re 18 or older ensures your eyes are more stable. LASIK works because it corrects your refractive errors.
If your vision is still changing, LASIK may not be as effective. If you want LASIK but aren’t the right age, you’ll need to wait for the procedure. It’s worth the wait!
2. Your Prescription is Stable
Even if you’re over 18, your refractive error may change. If your prescription changes a lot, this decreases the effectiveness of LASIK.
You need to have stable vision that’s remained unchanged for a year or more before you can undergo LASIK. Some LASIK surgeons recommend potential LASIK patients wait until their mid to late twenties to ensure their vision will not change after having LASIK for this reason.
3. Your Prescription is Within Acceptable Limits
LASIK can correct your vision to an incredible degree. However, it cannot work miracles, meaning it limits what it can treat.
LASIK can correct up to -11.00 diopters of nearsightedness, +5.00 diopters of farsightedness, and 5.00 of astigmatism. This range covers most patients with a refractive error.
However, if your vision falls outside these limits, LASIK can’t fully correct your vision. If your prescription is too strong for LASIK, your ophthalmologist may recommend an alternative procedure like PRK instead to help you achieve your goals of vision correction.
4. You’re in Good Health
To have LASIK, you need to be in good health. Potential LASIK patients can’t have any medical conditions that make it more challenging to recover after the procedure.
You may not be a good candidate for LASIK if you have certain autoimmune conditions like lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis. You also shouldn’t have LASIK if you’re currently pregnant or nursing.
5. You Have Healthy Eyes
Besides being in good health, you must have healthy eyes to have LASIK. If you’re considering LASIK, you can’t have any eye conditions besides refractive errors.
If you have a condition like dry eye syndrome, you’ll need to have it under control and managed before you can have LASIK. Having dry eyes may temporarily prevent you from having LASIK until your tear quality improves. Once your dry eye is under control, your ophthalmologist may consider you as a candidate for LASIK again.
6. Your Corneas are Thick Enough
LASIK involves creating a flap in the cornea, the clear part of your eye. The flap is a crucial part of the LASIK procedure because it allows LASIK to be minimally invasive and acts as a natural bandage while your eyes heal.
But your cornea needs to be thick enough to create the flap. Most people have corneas that are thick enough to make a flap. However, some people don’t.
If your corneas are thin, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with how healthy your eyes are. But it does mean that getting LASIK could be bad for your vision and eyesight.
You may know if you have particularly thin corneas, as it could be something your eye doctor has pointed out before. But if you’re unaware of how thick your corneas are, it’s something you’ll have measured during your LASIK consultation.
Most potential LASIK patients have thick enough corneas and can safely have LASIK. But if your corneas are too thin, it could have severe complications and negatively impact your vision if you have LASIK.
That’s why patients with thinner corneas are not good LASIK candidates and are usually a better fit for a LASIK alternative instead.
7. Your Pupils Aren’t Too Big
Patients with large pupils can experience visual aberrations after having LASIK surgery, particularly regarding their night vision and ability to see well in the dark. For this reason, your pupils should be below a certain size to have LASIK.
This is another thing you’ll have measured during your LASIK consultation and isn’t something your ophthalmologist expects you to know! Most people have pupils that are the right size, so it’s not worth worrying about.
8. You Have Reasonable Expectations About What LASIK Can Achieve
Before you have LASIK, you must be fully informed about all the potential risks of the vision correction procedure. LASIK is a very low-risk procedure, but no surgery is without any risks.
There’s also no 100% guarantee that LASIK will fully correct your vision. However, it’s very likely, as most patients achieve 20/20 vision or better after having LASIK.
But you need to understand that there’s no guarantee that LASIK will give you your desired results. There’s also no guarantee that you won’t experience any side effects.
Your surgeon can review everything you need to know during your consultation and evaluation. Ready to take your first steps toward the vision of your dreams? Request your LASIK consultation at Loden Vision Centers in Nashville, TN! Isn’t it time to live like you’ve never lived before?
