Who is a Suitable Candidate for Laser Eye Surgery

Laser eye treatment is becoming increasingly popular as a way of permanently improving poor vision. It is a relatively safe procedure with less than 1 percent of patients experiencing serious complications. The results of surgery are typically good - an estimated 80 to 98 percent of patients see such a marked improvement in their vision that they no longer need to wear their glasses or contact lenses. But can anyone opt for laser eye surgery?

In short, the answer is no. A majority of people will benefit form laser eye surgery but it is not a suitable solution for everyone. People very thin corneas or unusually large pupils may be deemed unsuitable candidates as this makes procedures such as Lasik impractical. Lasik works by reshaping the tissue underneath the cornea, but to enable this a small incision must be made in the cornea to make a flap. If the cornea is too thin this is an unfeasible option. PRK may be a suitable alternative to Lasik as this reshapes the cornea by burning a thin layer of cells off the surface of the eye with an excimer laser, but this decision can only be made by a qualified ophthalmologist.

Another common characteristic that may stop someone from having laser eye treatment is dry eyes. A frequent side effect of the procedure is dry eyes, so if this is a pre-existing condition in the patient a doctor may be unwilling to risk aggravating the problem. Serious conditions, for instance eye diseases such as herpes simplex and glaucoma, will also exclude someone from being a candidate for treatment.

Laser eye surgery is most suitable for a patient who has had several years of unchanging prescriptions. Age can preclude someone from being a candidate on this basis. People under the age of 21 may still be experiencing changes in their sight. The longevity of the effects of laser eye treatment can be affected as a result, as although the procedure is permanent it cannot prevent further natural deterioration in sight. It may be beneficial to delay treatment until the candidate is a little older and their vision has reached a plateau. People aged 60 and above are not advised to have laser eye surgery as degeneration in eyesight increases much more rapidly after this age.

There are several other candidates who may be unsuitable for laser eye treatment on the basis that their prescription is too unstable. This includes women undergoing the menopause and diabetics whose condition is not properly controlled.

Laser eye treatment is most successful on patients who have mild to moderate hyperopia, myopia or astigmatism. For this reason, short sighted patients with a prescription of -8 or more and long sighted patients whose vision is worse than +2 may be considered unsuitable candidates as the results that can realistically be achieved may be limited.

The most reliable way to discern whether laser eye surgery is a possibility for you is to speak to your optician, who may be able to refer you to a vision clinic, or for you to directly approach a surgery or hospital which specializes in laser eye treatment. It is prudent to shop around and get a range of opinions on the best laser eye procedure to suit your needs.

Leanne has had several articles published on laser eye treatment, including Lasik. http://www.lasereyesurgery.about-beauty.net.