As with any surgical procedure, laser eye surgery should never be undertaken without due caution. If you are considering laser eye surgery, the process will invariably require you to consult a qualified specialist. Part of their job is to ascertain that you meet all the correct criteria for being suitable for laser eye surgery.
Whilst laser eye surgery should be suitable for the vast majority of people, unfortunately, there are some scenarios where it is either inappropriate, safe, or delayed until certain conditions are met. To determine whether you are suitable, several questions need to be answered. Here are 7 of the most important questions that will reveal whether laser eye surgery suits you.
Is Your Overall Health Good?
Any health concerns related to laser eye surgery tend to concern the healing process and minimising any risk of infection. For this reason, those whose immune system is weakened or with pre-existing conditions that affect the immune system, such as diabetes, may either not be suitable or need extra precautions following laser eye surgery.
Are Your Eyes Healthy?
Some eye conditions will require resolving before your laser eye surgeon will proceed. Common examples of these eye conditions are conjunctivitis, eye infections, and glaucoma. These tend to be temporary rather than permanent eye conditions, which allow laser eye surgery to take place when resolved.
Is Your Vision Prescription Stable?
As laser eye surgery will change your vision, there must be no risk that your prescription will change. In most cases, a laser eye surgeon will want to confirm your eye prescription has been unchanged for a minimum of 12 months. This would make the surgery pointless and create additional risks.
Is The Thickness Of Your Corneas Sufficient?
The surgical procedure during laser eye surgery can involve the surgeon reshaping your cornea. Your cornea is the section of your eyeball in front of the pupil. If your cornea is not sufficiently thick, laser eye surgery, such as LASIK, is not recommended as it can impair vision.
Are You Over 18 Years Of Age?
It surprises people to learn that rather than an upper age limit for laser eye surgery, there is a lower age limit of 18 years. The reason is that your eyes are still developing during your teenage years and may not have settled at a vision level yet. Some patients are even recommended to wait until their 20s to ensure their prescription is steady.
Are The Pupils Of Your Eyes Sufficiently Small?
Although rare, it is sometimes the case that a patient with large pupils could compromise their suitability for laser eye surgery. The problem occurs from the larger pupil causing adverse side effects, which include halos, starbursts, and glare.
Are You Pregnant?
Considering laser eye surgery, it is one of those occasions when you are not happy to say “Yes” to that question. Unfortunately, unless you can answer no, meaning you are not pregnant, a laser eye surgeon is likely to recommend that you postpone laser eye surgery until your after you have given birth. Risks to your baby from antibiotics or steroids prescribed for you to take about laser eye surgery are too significant.