LASIK vision correction is one of the many procedure performed now a days to correct vision. It is a type of refractive surgery that is designed to reshape the cornea. It is used to treat hyperopia (far sightedness), myopia (near sightedness), and astigmatism. LASIK surgery is performed by an ophthalmologist and is considered as an outpatient procedure.
Unfortunately though, LASIK vision correction is not for everyone, one must meet certain guidelines to be able to avail of the procedure.
First in the list is that your eyes must be healthy. Any condition that can affect how your eyes respond to surgery or the healing process afterwards should first be resolved. Examples of these conditions are chronic dry eyes, conjunctivitis and any injury. Some conditions, may even disqualify you completely from taking the LASIK procedure, this involves cataracts, keratinous and uncontrolled glaucoma.
Certain procedures, LASIK included, require you to be at least at the age of 18 and for other countries 21 years of age. Although younger patients may also be treated in exception.
You must have a stable vision for at least a year. A lot of young adults experience changes in their prescribed eyeglass and contact lens and vision stabilizes most often sometime in one’s 20s, they are not yet recommended to take the surgery until their eyes have settled down into one prescription.
Diseases that are degenerative or autoimmune can also be a disqualifier. Some examples are rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, HIV, and AIDS. Basically, if ones body has any trouble with healing, the outcome of the refractive surgery may not be very good. Opinions though vary among LASIK surgeons as to which diseases are automatic disqualifiers and which ones might pose acceptable risks in some cases.
Ones eye prescription must be within certain limits. A very high amount of myopia, which would require removal of too much corneal tissue, may preclude LASIK or make another type of refractive surgery a better option, such as insertion of artificial lenses.