LASIK surgery is a highly advanced, and relatively new, procedure. If you belong to older generations, chances are you thought about getting LASIK in the 90’s but didn’t go for it, as the procedure was brand new and long-term effects were unknown. But now that LASIK technology has progressed and we know how safe and effective it is, you may feel like you missed the boat. So, is there actually an age bracket on LASIK? Are you too old for LASIK?
Average Age of LASIK Patients
The average age of LASIK patients falls anywhere between 20 and 40. While the procedure is more popular with people in their 20’s and 30’s, the procedure is certainly performed on patients upward of 50 years old. Of course, age is just a number. What your doctors look at is your overall health and how equipt your eyes are to handle the surgery.
Younger people, such as those younger than 21, are often underdeveloped and therefore should not undergo LASIK surgery. During this time period, your eyes are still growing and may skew results. A fully grown adult, however, will not run into this problem.
While doctors are careful about performing on younger patients, older patients are typically great candidates, barring any health or eye issues.
Age-Related Eye Disease
As mentioned above, your age itself has little to do with whether or not you can get LASIK surgery. Age-related eye diseases, however, can pose a big problem.
The older you are, the more likely you are to run into issues like diabetes, cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, presbyopia and more. These diseases can make LASIK complicated, and your doctor may suggest other procedures in its place.
LASIK is extremely safe for most people. However, it is important to listen to your eye doctor if they say that LASIK is not a smart option for you. Other LASIK surgeons may claim to handle “complicated” LASIK cases, and while this may be true, it is not worth risking your vision. If you would still like to explore your vision correction options, our NYC eye doctors at Stahl are happy to guide you to a safer and more effective procedure.
Are You A Candidate?
It is hard to determine whether or not you are a LASIK candidate without you coming in for a consultation. However, you are likely a candidate if you can answer “yes” to these questions:
- Are you free of diseases such as diabetes, glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, keratoconus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, corneal dystrophy and other corneal or retinal diseases?
- Have you had a stable prescription for at least a year?
- Do you have myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism?
- Can you lie flat without trouble or discomfort?
- Are you willing to stop wearing contacts for at least two weeks before your surgery?
- Are you no longer pregnant or nursing?
LASIK requirements were not put in place to make LASIK exclusive and fashionable. They are for your safety! Be sure to ask your eye doctor about your vision correction options. Even if you are not a LASIK candidate, chances are there is something that we can do to improve your sight!
LASIK Alternatives
While LASIK is often regarded as the “end all be all” of vision correction options, that is simply not the case. There are several other procedures that offer results similar to LASIK, and may be more suited to your needs. These options include:
- PRK. PRK is the predecessor of LASIK surgery, and while it is no longer as popular as it once was, it is still widely used today. PRK may be better for people who lead active lifestyles, as they eliminate the possibility of corneal flap complications.
- SMILE. This procedure is new to the US as of 2017, and has been making its mark in the world of ophthalmology.
- Nearvision CK. CK, or conductive keratoplasty, is a procedure performed to improve vision for those who are living with presbyopia, or loss of near vision.
- Clear Lens Exchange. During a Clear Lens Exchange, the cornea is left unaltered. Instead, the lens behind the pupil is removed and replaced with an IOL (intraocular lens) designed to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.
- Cataract Surgery. For older patients who are also living with cataracts, LASIK may not be able to correct their vision. Instead, our doctors recommend cataract surgery with premium lens implants. Like a clear lens exchange, the cornea is unaltered and the lens is switched out with an IOL.
Are you curious about LASIK but worried you are too old? Don’t be! Just schedule your NYC LASIK consultation with Stahl and see what we can do for you.
