6 Signs You’re A Good LASIK Candidatein Boston, MA
LASIK was FDA approved in 1999 and has become a very popular procedure in recent years to correct poor vision, helping millions to see more clearly. If you are interested in the LASIK procedure, there’s no better time than now to schedule a consultation for LASIK eye surgery and learn more about the procedure.
But, what if you don’t qualify? The beauty of having a LASIK consultation at the Nielsen Eye Center is that it’s complimentary.
Wondering if you could be a good candidate prior to scheduling your LASIK consultation? Keep reading for 6 signs that you may be a good LASIK candidate!
1. You’re Over 18
To get LASIK, you must be at least 18 years old.
This is because before then, you’re still growing and your eyesight may still be changing. As we grow and go through puberty, it results in hormonal changes, which can affect your eyes and vision. If you have LASIK before your eyes stabilize, they may continue to change after surgery.
2. You Have a Stable Vision Prescription
Even if you’re over the age of 18, your prescription may still be changing. Having a stable prescription is vital if you want your LASIK surgery to be as effective as possible.
Most surgeons recommend that you have a stable prescription for one to two years before you get LASIK.
3. You’re in Good Overall Health
Your overall health can have an impact on candidacy for LASIK eye surgery. If you have diabetes or certain autoimmune diseases, you may not be a good candidate for LASIK.
Some eye conditions may also prohibit you from being a candidate for LASIK. Having conditions like cataracts or glaucoma make it difficult or even dangerous to have LASIK surgery. Your eye doctor will help to walk you through options and whether any pre-existing health conditions impact your ability to have LASIK.
If you have one of these conditions, you may be better suited for a different vision correction procedure like PRK.
4. You Don’t Have Dry Eye
Recovering from LASIK may be difficult if you have dry eye syndrome or have a history of dry eye. If you’re prone to dry eye, though, you may still be able to have LASIK.
Part of the pre-LASIK screening includes screening for dry eye. If you’re prone to dry eye, your doctor may recommend ways to treat dry eye so you can have LASIK once symptoms are under better control.
This can be as simple as using artificial tears and taking nutritional supplements.
5. Your Prescription is Within Certain Limits
There are limits to how much LASIK can correct your vision. LASIK tends to be best for individuals who are nearsighted. It also works for patients with farsightedness and astigmatism as well.
Generally speaking, LASIK can correct -11 diopters of nearsightedness, +5 diopters for farsightedness, and 5 diopters for astigmatism. If your prescription is stronger than these limits, you may want to consider an alternative procedure for the best results. Your free consultation will let you know if you are a candidate and if not, it may be able to let you know of other options.
6. Other Factors
Other factors that make you a good candidate are hard to test on your own. One very important factor for LASIK candidacy is the thickness of your cornea. If your cornea isn’t thick enough, your surgeon can’t safely make a corneal flap.
Because of these factors, it’s always best to have a LASIK consultation to determine if you are a good candidate. Think that LASIK may be the right vision correction procedure for you?
The expert eye doctors at The Nielsen Eye Center are experts at determining if patients are right for procedures like LASIK. With a free LASIK consultation, there’s no reason to hold off on finding out if you’re a candidate! Call the Nielsen Eye Center at 617-471-5665 and ask to speak to a Patient Advocate today.
