The main restrictions that disqualify you for a LASIK procedure has been implemented for your own health and well being. Furthermore, it prevents the attending practitioner from any litigation that may arise as a result of the complications and side effects of LASIK.

Age

You must 18 years or older.

This criteria is usually in place to ensure that you make an informed decision about the LASIK eye surgery procedure as a more mature teen. More importantly, under the age of 18 years, normal growth and development of the eye could impact your long term vision if the LASIK procedure is conducted at an early age.

Chronic Conditions

You should not have any autoimmune diseases, be immunocompromised or suffer with diabetes

It is not advisable to undergo the LASIK procedure if you have any autoimmune condition, immunde deficiency or connective tissue disease as this may hamper your body’s healing time and ability. Furthermore, it may predispose you to secondary post-operative infections which can cause serious complications to the eyeball and vision. In cases of uncontrolled diabetes, the healing ability of the body is reduced and there are pathological changes that may occur in the eye, like a glaucoma, that may be complicate the LASIK procedure.

Breastfeeding and Pregnant Women

You should not be nursing or pregnant.

Undergoing any procedure, even a fairly safe surgery like LASIK, should never be considered during pregnancy. The possible side effects from antibiotics, pain killers or even anesthetic eye drops (rare) can be dangerous in pregnancy and even harm the fetus. Nursing mothers should be made aware that that these drugs can also impact on a newborn baby through the breast milk. Since LASIK eye surgery is a non-essential procedure, it may be preferable to wait till after delivery or once you stop breastfeeding to consider the procedure.

Vision Stability

Your vision has been stable for more than a year.

In most eyesight disorders, there are constant changes in visual acuity and you may find that on consecutive visits to your opthamologist, your prescription may be changing. This is often seen in childhood or teenage years but usually stabilizes as you get older. Attempting the LASIK procedure when your vision has not stabilized can reduce the effectiveness of the procedure in the long run. It could also lead to complications as the development of the eye structures may be hampered by the procedure.

Motivation for LASIK

Your reasons for wanting to undergo LASIK.

LASIK should be considered if the wearing of eye glasses is restricting your life, either leisure or work, and there are no other risk factors. Often LASIK is chosen for the cosmetic benefit but this has to be carefully assessed in young persons who may be wishing to undergo procedure due to insecurities about their appearance. In these cases, LASIK is not the solution and psychotherapy should be considered to address the emotional issues at hand. You should always be aware of the pros and cons of LASIK before undergoing the procedure.

Always be cautious about LASIK clinics that are prepared to ignore the LASIK restrictions as you may risk your long term vision and undergo a bad LASIK treatment that cannot be reversed.

The Pro’s – Advantages of LASIK

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), LASIK eye surgery has a 90 percent success rate and the procedure has a “low” rate of complications and a “high” rate of satisfaction. Some of the pros include :

High Tech & Quick Procedure

It is a fairly safe, and effective procedure in which a laser, guided by a computer, very precisely and accurately corrects the curvature of the cornea. Performed as an outpatient procedure, LASIK eye surgery takes about 10 to 15 minutes for each eye and it is relatively painless.

Short Post-Operative Recovery

Immediately after surgery a patient may experience a sense of burning, itching or a feeling that something is in the eye, this usually settles within a day. Vision may appear blurry or hazy but it improves by the next day.

Painless & Low Risk

Pain and discomfort is minimal and this is of great advantage for the patient. Since a local anesthetic is used, the patient is awake and aware, without fearing any complications from general anesthesia.

Good Prognosis

Complete recovery of a patients vision is very individualistic but it may take anything from 2 weeks to 6 months for a patients vision to stabilize. Overall Lasik surgery is a painless, quick procedure, recovery occurs relatively quickly and vision is restored in most patients.

Convenience and Comfort Over Other Corrective Methods

Wearing glasses offers many restrictions for patients, peripheral vision is obscured, there maybe a glare or reflection, glasses require a frame that maybe also be expensive. Contacts lenses allow for increased chances of getting infection and are high maintenance therefore one of the greatest benefits of Lasik eye surgery is that vision is corrected and the patient no longer requires the use of glasses and contact lenses, greatly improving the patients quality of life.

Self Esteem

Improving a patient’s vision can assist boost one’s self – confidence, because poor vision can affect participation in certain sports, traveling, arts and crafts and glasses and contacts are impossible to wear or they can be cumbersome in these activities. Many people are also self conscious of wearing glasses and this affects their social and professional life, Lasik eye surgery greatly improves their situation.

The Cons – Disadvantages of LASIK

In most cases, the disadvantages of LASIK may seem fairly insignificant compared to the advantages for those living with glasses. However, both aspects should be considered for making an informed decision.

Cost of LASIK

One of the major disadvantages of LASIK eye surgery is that the cost of a corneal scan and assessement, the LASIK procedure itself as well as post operative care may not be affordable for many patients . A patient is expected to visit the ophthalmologist regularly and in some instances repeat surgery is required because the initial surgery did not produce an optimum level of vision correction. All of this is done at an additional cost to the patient. LASIK eye surgery is considered as being a cosmetic surgery and many medical insurance plans do not cover the cost of the surgery.

Irreversible Procedure

Changes made to the cornea by LASIK eye surgery cannot be reversed and the results are not always guaranteed. Some patients may experience a glare or halo around images, difficulty driving at night, fluctuating vision and dry eyes. Patients who have LASIK eye surgery may require prescription glasses as they get older and their vision deteriorates.

These are the main disadvantages of LASIK eye surgery and while they may not often occur, it is nevertheless important to consider these possibilities. The final decision for or against LASIK eye surgery should be made by the patient, without coercion from the practitioner or staff, and for this reason, informed consent is a prerequisite before any patient undertakes the procedure.

References

1. LASIK Eye Surgery. Medline Plus
2. LASIK Laser Eye Surgery. WebMD