Laser eye surgery is one of the most amazing medical technology innovations to have ever graced the earth. If you have suffered most of your childhood wearing a thick set of glasses or struggled with eye allergies due to contact lenses, there is no doubt that you are craving for LASIK. Imagine a life waking up without struggling to put on your glasses, or playing sports without the worries of having your frame snapped in half.
Wonderful images, right? These are some of only a few benefits of getting LASIK treatment, and despite what movies have shown you about it or other hearsay, it is completely safe when done by a certified professional. So what are some things you have to know about laser eye surgery? This article will tackle some of the most frequently asked questions, so here we go:
What Is The Minimum Age To Be Able To Get LASIK?
The laser eye surgery minimum age is normally 18, but some doctors will say 21 just to be sure. This is because, during youth, the eyes and vision change frequently as the body grows. It will be important to wait until the vision prescription is no longer changing, or if it slows down due to a patient having astigmatism.
What Age Do People Normally Get LASIK Treatment?
The most common range for LASIK patients is between 20 and 45 years old. Vision prescriptions normally stabilize in the mid-twenties, so this is the best time to consider treatment. From ages 45 to 55, vision begins to change in most people, as they start to develop presbyopia or difficulties with near vision.
Presbyopia has something to do with the loss of flexibility in the lenses of the eyes, which makes people need to wear reading glasses. LASIK can be an effective treatment for this condition.
What Factors Affect Candidacy?
Not everyone can be a candidate for LASIK, which is why you should see your optometrist for an analysis on your visual system. Laser eye surgery corrects refractive errors in the eyes, which are caused by deformations in the shape of the cornea. When the shape changes, light is refracted differently from the cornea to the retina, which is why vision becomes blurred.
When viewing something, light moves through the cornea and the lens of the eye, which reflects the light to the retina and is interpreted by the brain to understand what is being looked at. Nearsighted and farsighted people have the light falling either above or below the correct spot on the retina. LASIK fixes the shape of the cornea and can fix all three ailments stated above, as well as astigmatism, which is a condition that constantly changes the grade of oneβs eyes.
Conditions That Impact Candidacy
Your overall eye health impacts whether or not you are allowed to undergo LASIK surgery. If you have dry eyes, cataracts or glaucoma, you may not be a good candidate for the treatment. Pupil size plays a big part as well, because large pupils may experience glaring or halos after surgery, which are not good.
Cornea thickness and smoothness are important because LASIK works by shaving off parts of the cornea, meaning less material to work with can cause the worsening of vision problems. This can be remedied by applying for PRK instead of depending on the recommendations of your eye doctor.
Additionally, your prescription stability must be the same for at least a year or longer, as well as not being pregnant and testing whether your current medications make you a candidate.
Conclusion
When it comes to having 20/20 vision, LASIK is the best to get there. If you have been plagued with a lifetime of bad vision and constantly needing to purchase a new pair of glasses or sets of contact lenses and eye care products, be prepared to leave them behind. So why wait? Consult your optometrist about your fresh set of eyes today!
At Valley Laser Centre, we are home to some of the best laser eye doctors in Abbotsford ready to treat you using LASIK surgery. Get your 20/20 vision as soon as possible and say hello to a whole new life you never thought was possible!
This blog post does not replace medical advice and should not be implemented prior to consulting a fully certified medical professional.
