Our goal at South Texas Eye Institute is safe, complication free, successful LASIK surgery for every patient. In order to attain this goal, each patient must be a good LASIK candidate. Not everyone is.
Let’s review 10 signs you’re a good LASIK candidate.
What makes someone a likely LASIK Candidate?
- A good candidate for LASIK should be at least 18 years of age if they are nearsighted. They should be 21 in order to have LASIK done for farsightedness or astigmatism.
- All candidates should have a moderate prescription that does not fluctuate excessively from year to year. This means your regular prescription should be basically stable for a year.
- You should be healthy. Any physical issues that affect the normal healing process, such as autoimmune diseases, infection or corneal scarring, would mean you may have to explore other alternatives like PRK or ICL.
- Your eyes should be healthy and free from diseases. Glaucoma, keratoconus, and other eye diseases could prevent you from having successful LASIK surgery.
- If pregnant, you must postpone LASIK surgery until after birth / breastfeeding.
It All Starts With A Thorough LASIK Evaluation
The only way to be certain you would make a good candidate is to have a thorough evaluation by an experienced doctor. All of the above issues and demographics will be addressed during this testing to eliminate any physical issues.
- Your cornea must have enough depth to safely have LASIK.
- The surface of your cornea will be mapped to preclude any surface irregularities and to define the proper calculations for your laser surgery. Since no two eyes are the same, a custom treatment will be planned just for you.
- The doctor will check the pressure in your eyes for any irregularities.
- A dilated exam will check the retina for any diseases and confirm the overall health of your eyes.
The thorough evaluation will allow time for you to ask our experienced lasik coordinator and doctors questions. Don’t settle for a simple screening.
Realistic Expectations for LASIK Surgery
The goal of LASIK surgery is to reduce or eliminate your need for glasses or contacts, but patients should understand that LASIK is still surgery.
There will be short-term side effects, and the healing process may take weeks as the eyes heal. There is no absolute guarantee that patients will achieve “super vision”.
The doctor will explain what kind of vision you can expect after surgery, but only you can determine if the risks associated with surgery are acceptable.
LASIK is safe and effective when performed by experienced surgeons.
There May Be Other Options
The doctor may determine that you are not the best candidate for LASIK. The doctor can then recommend other alternatives that will achieve the same results.
Thinking about Getting LASIK?
Take the San Antonio LASIK Self Test
