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Who Shouldn’t Get LASIK?

Posted by: Georgia Eye Associates in LASIK

LASIK is the acronym for Laser Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis. LASIK is the most popular elective surgery and has helped millions of people.

Known for its reputation as a safe form of vision correction, it’s no wonder interest remains high. But LASIK isn’t for everyone! Read on to learn why a LASIK surgeon may not approve you as a candidate for LASIK.

You are Under the Age of 18

If you’re under the age of 18, you cannot get LASIK. Wearing glasses or contacts can be frustrating as a teen, but LASIK isn’t safe at this age.

You can thank your hormones! While we are growing up, one of the things that changes is your vision. For most people, their vision may not stabilize until their mid-twenties.

There’s no sense in undergoing a procedure like LASIK if you know that your vision isn’t stable enough.

Why can’t you have LASIK before you turn 18?

The short answer is that LASIK is only FDA approved to perform on people 18 and over. It’s likely that your prescription will continue to change even once you’re 18.

Your Prescription is Not Stable

A good LASIK candidate needs to have stable vision for at least a year before the procedure. This means that your prescription hasn’t changed in that amount of time.

If your prescription is still changing, the results from LASIK will not be accurate. LASIK only corrects for refractive errors that you have at the time of the procedure.

Why is this?

LASIK is a one-time procedure with permanent results. In some cases, LASIK patients may need a touch-up or refinement about 10 years after.

This ensures that your vision stays clear, even as the years go on. Having a stable prescription is what ensures your vision won’t change after LASIK.

You are Planning a Pregnancy

Pregnancy and LASIK don’t go together. If you are currently pregnant or planning to become pregant, you should wait to get LASIK.

During each pregnancy, it is possible for your vision to change, at least temporarily. Again, you can thank rapidly changing hormones for this!

The hormones released during pregnancy can affect the clarity of your vision. This is the case for any time you are pregnant.

The best thing to do is wait to have LASIK until you know for sure you won’t have any more kids. You also can’t have LASIK while you are breastfeeding.

Wait for at least three months after breastfeeding before getting LASIK. This is the smartest way to ensure your vision is stable and ready for LASIK.

Have a LASIK consultation

There are other factors to consider that may affect if you’re a candidate for LASIK. A good LASIK candidate:

should be healthy
not suffering from active conditions like dry eye
has a condition like dry eye under control
should have thick enough corneas

The only way to know for sure if you’re a good candidate for LASIK is to schedule a LASIK consultation.

Read the factors above and think you may be a good candidate for LASIK? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Georgia Eye Associates in Atlanta, GA today!