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Should You Get LASIK, Based On Your Age?

You’ve probably heard that the best age for LASIK is anytime after your vision has become stable (usually between 18 and 21) until around age 40. But, what if you’re between 35 and 40? Is LASIK still a good investment in this age range? Since you’re getting closer to the time when your vision may start changing again, does this alter your LASIK eligibility? Here are some considerations.

Monetary Investment

First, LASIK is still a valuable investment, even if you get the procedure closer to age 40 or beyond. This is because LASIK is intended to fix nearsightedness, and improve your vision from a distance. Once fixed, your ability to see well from afar will remain high for many, many years to come. In other words, the investment will continue providing returns to you in terms of better eyesight and boosted quality of life even as you age.

Eye Changes After 40

But what about vision changes after 40? Well, the most common change people experience is the development of presbyopia, which basically means trouble reading up close. This occurs at a different pace for different people, though, so there’s hardly a guarantee you’ll reach midnight on your 40th birthday and instantly need reading glasses. It could be soon after, or it could be years down the road.

Also, developing presbyopia doesn’t cancel out your LASIK benefits. It just means you’ll need to schedule an eye appointment to get readers and/or discuss other options for addressing the presbyopia, depending on severity (like a KAMRA inlay, for example).

So, the good news is that you may still be an ideal candidate for LASIK even as you get nearer (and possibly past) age 40. Your best bet always, though, is to schedule an eye exam and LASIK consultation so you can get a doctor’s take on whether LASIK is right for you. It very well might be, or your doctor may recommend a different surgery or approach. Either way, they’ll know what’s best after evaluating your eyes and specific situation. Contact us today to ask about our exams and get one scheduled!