Who is eligible for LASIK eye surgery

While most people are going to be eligible for LASIK eye surgery, there are some who will not meet the basic requirements to have the procedure performed. These restrictions are in place to ensure that the surgery will not only be a success, but that no harm will come to the patient.

The good news is that LASIK technology is advancing everyday, so those who are not eligible now may be in the near future. An ophthalmologist will give a complete examination to determine if the criteria are met. These results will result in the patient being placed in one of three sets: the perfect candidate, the acceptable candidate, and the non-acceptable candidate.

The Perfect Candidate

These candidates will have no problem getting approved for LASIK surgery provided they meet the following qualifications:

1. The person is at least 18 years old.

2. Has a prescription for glasses of contacts that has not changed for two years.

3. Has proper thickness of the cornea that will give the surgeon enough to create a cornea flap.

4. Suffers from one or more eye problems including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. There are several kinds of LASIK laser being used depending on the specific eye problems.

5. The person is free from any disease or other vision problems that will lower the success rate of the surgery, or lead to the patient not healing properly and/or in a timely manner.

6. Should be completely informed and understand the risks of LASIK surgery. The risks need to be completely discussed with the surgeon so that the patient has a good understanding of them, and of the potential benefits they may receive.

The Acceptable Candidate

While these candidates can be approved with more consideration, there are some factors that can give a surgeon reason for pause, including:

1. Those whose history includes dry eyes, because surgery can cause this problem to worsen.

2. Are on steroids or medications that suppress the immune system, because they may interfere with the healing process.

3. Have corneas that are scarred.

The Non-Acceptable Candidate

While the factors above can be overcome, and successful LASIK surgery performed, the following will cause a patient to be turned away completely:

1. The person is not over 18.

2. Has not had the same glass prescription for two years.

3. Is pregnant or nursing.

4. Has had a case of ocular herpes within the last year.

5. Have eye problems that are too bad/serious to be corrected with LASIK surgery.