Have you been considering LASIK surgery to enhance your vision and reduce your reliance on glasses and contacts? While this popular procedure has helped millions achieve visual freedom, it’s essential to ensure you are a good candidate before undergoing the procedure.

Keep reading to learn more about the candidacy requirements for LASIK and whether it could be right for you!

How Does LASIK Work?

Despite being an incredibly technologically advanced procedure, the LASIK process is actually quite simple. Refractive errors like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism are often the culprits of vision problems that require glasses and contacts.

These typically occur due to a misshapen cornea or an eye that is too long or too short. LASIK can fix your refractive errors by reshaping the cornea to deliver light to the retina at the optimal spot for sharp, clear vision.

During the procedure, your eye doctor will use a femtosecond laser to make a small flap in the surface layer of your cornea. Your eyes will be numbed with anesthetic drops, so you won’t need to worry about feeling any pain.

The flap is then folded back, and your LASIK surgeon will use an excimer laser to reshape the underlying corneal tissue. Frantz EyeCare is proud to offer LASIK using the WaveLight EX500 Excimer Laser, a state-of-the-art vision correction technology that enhances the efficiency and accuracy of the procedure.

After your cornea has been reshaped to correct your refractive errors, the flap will be placed back over your eye, where it will naturally adhere and aid in the healing process.

Can Anyone Get LASIK?

For the right patient, LASIK can be a life-changing procedure that allows them to enjoy crisp, clear vision and more freedom in all of their favorite activities. However, there are certain requirements you must meet to be considered a good candidate.

Undergoing a thorough LASIK consultation, including a review of your medical history, a comprehensive eye examination, and a discussion of your lifestyle and visual goals, is necessary to ensure the procedure is right for you. According to the Refractive Surgery Council (RSC), it’s important to talk to your doctor about the level of vision correction you can expect during your screening. 

Generally, good LASIK candidates:

  • Are 18 years or older
  • Are not pregnant or nursing
  • Have a prescription that has remained unchanged for at least one year
  • Have thick enough corneas to safely create a corneal flap
  • Do not have cataracts, glaucoma, or severe dry eye
  • Do not have uncontrolled diabetes or autoimmune conditions like lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis
  • Have realistic expectations about the outcomes of LASIK

At your LASIK consultation with Frantz EyeCare, your ophthalmologist will consider these factors to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK.

What If I’m Not a Good Candidate for LASIK?

If you want to achieve clear vision and freedom from glasses and contacts but have been told you’re not a good candidate for LASIK due to thin corneas, dry eye, or a high prescription, Frantz EyeCare offers many LASIK alternatives, including:

SMILE

SMILE, also known as KLex, is a laser vision correction procedure that can correct nearsightedness and astigmatism. It’s often recommended as an alternative for LASIK patients with thinner corneas or dry eye, as the incision made is almost five times smaller than LASIK, meaning it interferes with fewer corneal nerves.

EVO ICL

EVO ICL is a procedure that involves placing a small biocompatible implantable lens between the iris and the natural lens of your eye. This lens works seamlessly with your eye to correct nearsightedness and astigmatism and can be removed at any time by your ophthalmologist if needed.

PRK

PRK preceded LASIK as the first vision correction procedure, helping patients with nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism enjoy visual freedom. Instead of creating a corneal flap, your eye surgeon will remove the surface layer of the cornea entirely during PRK, making the procedure especially good for athletes with concerns about potential injuries causing flap complications.

RLE

RLE is a vision correction procedure often recommended for patients over 40 years old with presbyopia or common refractive errors. It involves replacing the natural lens of the eye with an intraocular lens (IOL) in a procedure nearly identical to cataract surgery.

Do you want to find out whether you’re a good candidate for LASIK? Schedule your consultation at Frantz EyeCare in Fort Myers, FL, today!