LASIK has been a popular choice for vision correction surgery for the past several decades. It has nearly become a household name, and there’s no wonder as to why.
LASIK has been proven to be an effective surgery with minimal risk. This is partly due to the impressive technology used and the years of study and practice required to be a LASIK surgeon.
However, there is another reason that LASIK is so successful. LASIK surgery is only made available to certain people.
Every individual who wants to have LASIK must undergo multiple tests and exams to prove that the operation will be as safe and successful as possible. Keep reading to learn what your surgeon at Chicago Cornea Consultants will be looking for during a LASIK consultation!
Someone At Least Eighteen Years Old
LASIK is FDA-approved for those eighteen years or older. Many doctors will even recommend patients wait until they are well into their twenties before getting LASIK.
This is because your eyes are likely still maturing at this age. Your vision is more likely to change until your eyes have stopped growing.
LASIK only changes the way you see now. It does not account for future changes to your eyesight.
Someone With Stable Vision
Age is not the only thing that can change your vision. Hormones can drastically affect the quality of your sight, making LASIK potentially ineffective.
Pregnancy, for example, can cause your vision to fluctuate unpredictably. You should wait for at least three months and up to six after you finish nursing before you consider LASIK.
In general, you will need to have a glasses prescription that has remained the same for at least an entire year.
A Healthy Individual
Although recovery from the LASIK procedure is not as intense as other types of surgery, you will still need to take some time off and rest to ensure that your eyes can heal. Any kind of health problem that affects your body’s healing process will get in the way of your LASIK candidacy.
This includes uncontrolled diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, and HIV/AIDs. LASIK directly affects your eyes, so they will also need to be in particularly good shape.
Injuries or scarring can make LASIK dangerous. Infections or diseases would likely worsen after LASIK since your eye will be more vulnerable during recovery.
A Patient With Thick Corneas
LASIK works by changing the shape of the cornea. To do this, your LASIK surgeon has to remove some of the corneal tissue.
For most people, this isn’t a problem, but some people have abnormally thin corneas. Without enough tissue to work with, LASIK becomes unsafe.
If you have thin corneas, your eye doctor may recommend an alternative vision correction procedure that can provide you with visual freedom. PRK is a great example and can have results that are just as amazing as LASIK.
Someone With Realistic Expectations
LASIK has an almost unbelievable rate of success. The overwhelming majority of patients who get LASIK are satisfied with their results.
However, LASIK is still a surgery with risks. Before investing, you need to be aware of them and that some people still need to use glasses after the procedure.
Do you want to learn more about the benefits and risks of LASIK? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Chicago Cornea Consultants in Highland Park, IL, today to get started on your journey!
