Can You Get LASIK If...?
While many people want to get laser eye surgery for their vision correction needs, some are unsure whether they’re a candidate for LASIK, specifically wondering whether past or present conditions or experiences make them ineligible. To help you better understand, here’s a look at a few situations.
Astigmatism
If you need vision correction, and have astigmatism in one or both eyes, you just might be an ideal candidate for laser eye surgery. LASIK is actually designed to correct astigmatisms, so you don’t need to worry about that preventing you from being a candidate. In fact, in many cases, it means you’re an even better candidate for the procedure.
Pregnancy
LASIK is not advised if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as vision can change during these seasons of life. Furthermore, other medical issues can worsen during pregnancy and breastfeeding, like diabetes and blood pressure, which can then have an effect on the eyes. For optimal safety, it’s best to wait three to six months after you stop breastfeeding to plan your LASIK procedure.
Former Eye Injuries
The eyes generally have a remarkable ability to heal themselves, which is why most former eye injuries shouldn’t keep you from being a great LASIK candidate. However, make sure to mention any past eye trauma to your doctor during the consultation. If there’s still scarring from an injury, this could impact the surgeon’s ability to perform the surgery. As such, always be upfront about your medical history and then let the doctor confirm whether you should proceed with laser eye surgery.
Underlying Disease
If you have certain eye conditions, like glaucoma or ocular hypertension, you may not be cleared for LASIK. But, most people who develop such problems do so later in life, oftentimes when they’re much older than an optimal LASIK candidate would be, so it ends up being a moot point.
However, there are other diseases that could affect your ability to get LASIK, even at a younger age. For example, people who have autoimmune diseases (like lupus, for example), are in immunodeficiency states (as with diabetes) or who are taking particular medications (e.g. steroids) may not be eligible for laser eye surgery. This is because all of these factors may prevent proper healing after the surgery.
If you’re interested in LASIK, the best way to proceed and get all your questions answered is to schedule a comprehensive evaluation.