What Age Is Best For LASIK?

LASIK has helped millions achieve total vision independence from contacts and glasses! If you have perfect vision, it’s probably something that you take for granted.

Being dependent on glasses affects your whole lifestyle and can lower your confidence. That’s why many people seek out LASIK as early as possible.

You’d think that you should get LASIK as early as possible, but it’s more complicated than that. If you’re under the age of 18, you cannot have LASIK. But what about if you’re older? Keep reading to learn more about LASIK!

Why is There a Minimum Age for LASIK?

While LASIK is safe, there are factors that can increase your risk of complications. The biggest one: being too young for LASIK.

This is because our vision is changing and affected by hormones as we grow up. Thank your hormones for why you can’t get LASIK until you’re at least 18 years old!

As we grow, our vision is constantly fluctuating. To be a good LASIK candidate, one important factor is you need to have a stable prescription.

A stable prescription for LASIK means that your prescription hasn’t changed in a year or more. The problem is until you’re done growing, your vision might keep changing.

Getting LASIK before your vision has stabilized is a bad idea. For one thing, if your prescription changes after LASIK, you’ve wasted your time and money.

Getting LASIK is best when you’re sure your eyes have stopped changing for good. Want to be extra sure? Most LASIK surgeons recommend waiting to get LASIK until you are in your mid-twenties.

Pregnancy is another factor that plays into your LASIK candidacy. It also messes with your hormones and can cause your eyesight quality to go haywire.

It’s recommended that you wait until you’ve finished nursing before getting LASIK. Not sure if you want to have more kids? Wait to get LASIK until you’re sure you won’t be pregnant again. Every pregnancy can result in your prescription changing due to your fluctuating hormones.

Other LASIK Requirements

Age and pregnancy are not the only things that can prevent you from getting LASIK. You will need to undergo a series of tests and exams to find out if you’re a LASIK candidate. These tests help ensure it’s safe for you to undergo LASIK. Some factors to consider before your LASIK consultation are:

• Eye diseases or injuries. You will need to have healthy eyes before LASIK. This is because you’re more susceptible to infection after LASIK.
• Your medical history. Certain health problems can make recovery from LASIK more difficult. If you have any autoimmune disorders, it’s likely you’re not a good LASIK candidate. A healthy immune system is key when recovering from surgical procedures like LASIK.
• Your corneal thickness. Some people have thinner corneas, which makes LASIK unsafe. The only way to find out if you have thin corneas is to have a LASIK consultation.

Wondering if you could be a good candidate for LASIK? Contact New England Vision in Plattsburgh, NY to schedule your LASIK consultation today!