Lasik is a surgical laser eye treatment that many people choose to undergo in order to correct their vision. It is a laser eye surgery that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering at the front of the eye, using a laser to sculpt it. Vision is corrected when the cornea is reshaped, altering the way light refracts into it.
Because no two eyes are the same, you must be examined by your eye doctor before agreeing to any laser eye surgery. After the doctor examines your eyes, he will be able to tell you whether or not you are a good candidate for any laser eye treatment. There are specific qualifications that you must meet to undergo Lasik, and if you do not qualify, there are other options.
While the laser eye surgery known as Lasik has successfully treated many individuals with refractive vision problems, not everyone will be a good candidate for it. Your eye doctor will have to run some tests to screen you before considering any laser eye treatment. This way, any potential problems that may arise after the surgery can be avoided in advance.
If you regularly wear contact lenses, you will need to stop wearing them before undergoing the initial exam. Contact lenses change the shape of the cornea, and it takes time before the cornea will settle back into its natural curvature. You will need to allow enough time for your eyes to stabilize before having the doctor do the prescreening exam. If you normally wear soft lenses, you will need to stop wearing them 2 weeks before the exam. For RGP, or rigid gas permeable lenses, stop using them 3 weeks before the exam, and those using hard lenses cannot wear them for at least 4 weeks before the testing.
Age is a factor for determining whether someone should have any laser eye surgery, because your vision needs to be stable before you can have a laser eye treatment. Your eyes will continue to change until growing is complete, so anyone under the age of 20 may not be a good candidate for Lasik. It is also important that a potential candidate have healthy eyes, so while Lasik may not be a good idea for patients with severe dry eye conditions, or because their corneas are too thin or angled too steep, it does not mean that they cannot have a laser eye treatment. New procedures are being developed all the time, so be sure to ask if you still qualify for treatment, even if you are not a viable candidate for Lasik.
Finally, any autoimmune condition, like Lupus, Addison's or Rheumatoid arthritis, may not allow you to be a candidate for Lasik. Because your immune system reacts erratically to changes in your body, this type of surgery is not recommended. Patients with autoimmune conditions have been successful, but an alternative treatment might still be better for you, because it does not risk a potentially serious complication because of your immune system issues.
Even though Lasik is considered to be a relatively safe procedure, it is still major surgery. Before choosing this kind of elective surgery, patients need to be examined by their regular eye doctor to ensure that they are viable candidates, so that the procedure does not put them at risk. If you have medical conditions that compromise your immune system, Lasik may not be the right choice for you. If your eyes pose any problems with conventional Lasik, you may still be able to have other procedures done because of advancing technology.
