A lot of people who have to rely on glasses or contacts to see have considered getting LASIK. But some may be worried that they don’t qualify.
The good news is that most people who get screened for LASIK end up being good candidates for LASIK— over 80%. But can you control any of the qualifying factors for LASIK? There are actually a few things you can do. Keep reading to learn about a few of them!
Be Patient
The first step to getting LASIK is having a stable prescription. If your eyesight is still changing, LASIK won’t be very effective.
If your eyesight changes after you get LASIK, you may have to start wearing glasses or contacts again. This ruins the whole point of getting LASIK!
For this reason, surgeons only give LASIK to patients who are 18 years of age or older. They also like for patients to have a stable prescription for at least 2 years. So something you can do to be a good candidate is to wait until you’re old enough and your eyesight stops changing.
Stay Healthy
Having a healthy lifestyle is a good way to have healthy eyes. Getting LASIK isn’t recommended for people who have serious eye conditions.
Refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism don’t count. If you have cataracts, macular degeneration, or diabetic retinopathy, LASIK can be dangerous. One of the best ways to prevent these conditions, especially as you get older, is to eat healthily and avoid bad habits.
This includes habits like smoking and excessive drinking. If you already have good habits, maintaining them is a good way to make sure you’re a good LASIK candidate. If you have unhealthy habits, improving your health is one of many reasons to change your lifestyle.
Take Measures to Treat Dry Eye
When you get screened for LASIK, part of the process includes assessing the quality of your tears. Assessing your tears helps determine if you’re at risk for developing dry eye syndrome after LASIK.
Having dry eyes after LASIK can make it difficult for your eyes to heal. But you can take steps to lower your risk or even treat pre-existing dry eye.
This can be as simple as taking nutritional supplements and using artificial tears. Talk to your doctor about how you can best improve your tear quality.
Be Aware of What You Can’t Control and Alternatives
There are certain qualifying factors that you can’t control. For example, your cornea needs to be a certain thickness to get LASIK. Your pupils also can’t be too big, otherwise, LASIK may damage your vision.
These are things you can’t control. You also don’t know how big your pupils are or how thick your cornea is. You won’t be able to know if you’re a good candidate for LASIK until you have a consultation.
The good news is, even if you don’t qualify for LASIK, there are alternative procedures that you may qualify for. These include PRK or an implantable contact lens. Be sure to talk over these alternatives with your eye doctor if it turns out LASIK isn’t for you.
Want to find out if LASIK could be right for you? Schedule a LASIK consultation at Ellis Eye in San Francisco, CA! If you want permanently clear vision, LASIK may be the answer you’re looking for!
