If you’ve been thinking about LASIK eye surgery, one of your first questions is probably, “Am I a good candidate for LASIK?” The answer depends on more than your glasses or contact lens prescription. Your age, corneal health, prescription stability, and overall eye health all play a role in determining whether LASIK is a safe and effective option for you.
At Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, our vision correction specialists help individuals across Arizona determine whether LASIK or another procedure may be right for their eyes. Schedule a LASIK consultation to learn about your options for reducing your dependence on glasses and contact lenses.
Requirements for LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK is designed to correct common refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. However, not everyone with these conditions qualifies for surgery.
Generally, a good LASIK candidate:
- Is at least 18 years old.
- Has had a stable vision prescription for at least one year.
- Has sufficiently thick, healthy corneas.
- Has healthy eyes without certain active or uncontrolled eye conditions.
- Has a prescription within the treatable range for the laser being used.
- Has realistic expectations about the results and potential risks of surgery.
Meeting these basic requirements is a positive starting point, but only a detailed eye examination can confirm whether LASIK is appropriate for you.
How Do I Know If I’m a Good Candidate for LASIK?
Several factors help your eye surgeon determine whether LASIK is the right vision correction procedure.
1. Your Age
You must be at least 18 years old to undergo LASIK, although many surgeons prefer that candidates be 21 or older because vision is more likely to have stabilized.
Your prescription can continue changing during your late teens and early twenties. If your eyesight is still changing, your surgeon may recommend waiting before having LASIK.
There is no universal upper age limit for LASIK. However, adults in their 40s, 50s, and beyond may develop age-related vision changes that affect the most appropriate procedure.
2. Your Prescription Has Remained Stable
One of the most important LASIK requirements is having a relatively stable prescription for at least 12 months.
If your prescription continues to change significantly, LASIK may not provide a lasting correction. Surgery reshapes the cornea to address your current refractive error, but it cannot prevent future changes in your eyes.
Your surgeon will review your prescription history to determine whether your vision has stabilized enough to consider surgery.
3. Your Corneas Are Healthy and Thick Enough
LASIK works by reshaping the cornea, the clear outer surface of your eye, to improve how light focuses on the retina.
Because the procedure removes a small amount of corneal tissue, your corneas must be sufficiently thick and structurally healthy.
During your evaluation, your doctor will measure your corneal thickness and examine its shape. Conditions such as keratoconus, abnormal corneal thinning, or certain corneal scars may make LASIK unsuitable.
4. You Have Good Overall Eye Health
Healthy eyes are important for successful recovery and vision correction.
Your doctor will check for conditions that may affect your candidacy, including:
- Significant dry eye disease
- Cataracts
- Certain forms of glaucoma
- Corneal infections or inflammation
- Keratoconus or other corneal abnormalities
- Certain retinal conditions
Having an existing eye condition does not always mean vision correction surgery is impossible. However, it may need treatment or further evaluation before your surgeon can recommend a procedure.
5. Your General Health Supports Healing
Certain medical conditions, medications, and hormonal changes can affect your eyes or how they heal after surgery.
For example, uncontrolled diabetes and some autoimmune disorders may increase surgical risks. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can also cause temporary changes in vision, making it advisable to postpone LASIK until your prescription is stable.
Your LASIK surgeon will review your medical history and medications as part of your candidacy assessment.
LASIK and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation throughout the body. Although it primarily affects the joints, it can also affect the eyes, leading to dry eye disease, inflammation, and other complications.
People with rheumatoid arthritis may not be good candidates for LASIK, particularly if their condition is active or poorly controlled. RA can affect corneal health and healing, increasing the risk of complications after surgery.
Even if your rheumatoid arthritis is well controlled, your LASIK surgeon will need to carefully evaluate your eye health, disease history, and medications before determining whether surgery is appropriate.
LASIK and Other Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues. Some of these conditions can affect the eyes directly or interfere with the body’s ability to heal after surgery.
Examples include:
- Lupus: May cause inflammation, dry eyes, and complications with healing.
- Sjögren’s syndrome: Often causes significant dry eye disease, which can make LASIK unsuitable.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Can contribute to inflammation and corneal complications.
Uncontrolled autoimmune diseases are generally considered a contraindication to LASIK. Even when the condition is stable, surgery requires careful consideration because the risks may be higher and safety evidence is limited.
LASIK and Uncontrolled Diabetes
Having diabetes does not automatically mean you cannot undergo LASIK, but how well your blood sugar is managed matters.
Uncontrolled diabetes can disqualify you from LASIK because high or fluctuating blood sugar levels can:
- Cause temporary changes in your vision prescription.
- Slow healing after surgery.
- Increase the risk of infection and other complications.
- Contribute to dry eye symptoms and corneal problems.
Diabetes can also cause diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages blood vessels in the retina and requires careful evaluation.
Some individuals with well-controlled diabetes may be considered for LASIK following a thorough examination, but candidacy depends on their overall eye health, prescription stability, and medical history.
Why Your Medical History Matters Before LASIK
During your LASIK consultation, your surgeon will review your medical history, current medications, and any conditions that could affect healing.
Having a chronic medical condition does not always eliminate every vision correction option. However, certain conditions can make LASIK or other elective refractive procedures inappropriate.
A comprehensive evaluation is the best way to determine which vision correction treatments, if any, are safe for your individual circumstances.
What If I’m Not a Candidate for LASIK?
If LASIK is not recommended, you may still qualify for another vision correction procedure.
Depending on your prescription, age, corneal health, and other factors, alternatives may include:
PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy)
PRK is another laser vision correction procedure that reshapes the cornea without creating a LASIK flap. It may be appropriate for some individuals whose corneal measurements or lifestyles make LASIK less suitable.
EVO ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens)
EVO ICL uses an implantable lens to correct certain refractive errors without removing corneal tissue. It may be an option for eligible individuals with higher levels of nearsightedness or other factors that make corneal laser surgery less appropriate.
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
RLE replaces the eye’s natural lens with an artificial lens. It may be considered for certain adults, especially those experiencing age-related changes in near vision.
Each procedure has its own requirements, benefits, and risks. Your doctor can explain which options are appropriate based on your examination.
Protect Your Results With Our Vision for Life Program
If you qualify for LASIK or PRK, Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center offers an optional Vision for Life program that provides eligible patients with access to future laser enhancements at no additional cost, as long as you continue to meet the program’s eye health requirements.
Learn what you can expect at your consultation.
Find Out If You’re a Candidate for LASIK in Arizona
If you’re tired of relying on glasses or contact lenses, the first step is to determine which vision correction procedure is right for your eyes.
At Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, our experienced vision correction team offers LASIK consultations in Scottsdale, Tucson, and Flagstaff. We evaluate your prescription, corneal health, and vision goals to help determine whether LASIK, PRK, RLE, EVO ICL, or another approach may be right for you.
Schedule your LASIK consultation today or call (602) 975-7979 to learn more about your vision correction options.