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What Age is Ideal to Get a LASIK Eye Surgery?

Patients of any age can benefit from LASIK eye surgery, which is good news. However, everyone who wants surgery should know that per the Food and Drug Administration’s rules, they must be at least 18 years old. Those who seek to reclaim their independence by recovering their eyesight have a legitimate interest in this.

The ideal follow-up question for a patient to ask after learning about the LASIK eye surgery age limit is, “has my eyesight remained stable for a time now?” The most important element in deciding when to receive eye surgery on LASIK is the patient’s level of visual stability before surgery.

Let’s put an end to the debate over when it’s safe to undergo LASIK surgery, and if you’re of legal age, come see us at Personal Eyes to talk about your alternatives. Our diagnostic tools here are state-of-the-art, so we can help you decide if laser eye surgery is right for you.

Does LASIK Eye Surgery Have an Age Limit?

The minimum age for LASIK eye surgery is 18, in accordance with FDA guidelines, as was indicated above. According to the opinions of experts, the patient’s capacity to maintain stable eyesight is more important when deciding whether to schedule laser eye treatment or surgery.

Your eye doctor will measure your degree of nearsightedness, astigmatism, and/or farsightedness, or a combination of these, during your regular checkups by administering a refraction test. Because of this, your doctor will likely do a few tests to verify that there hasn’t been a substantial change to your prescription. 

However, if your prescription for contact lenses or glasses hasn’t altered in over a year, an eye doctor may suggest laser eye treatment as an alternative (or two). This is critical to making sure the operation is successful and has a positive impact on your life.

There is no upper age restriction for eye surgery with LASIK, thus there is no “ideal age to get LASIK.” Nothing should stand between you and the possibility of crisp eyesight if you are a good candidate and your eyes and body are healthy. 

However, some professionals advise having the procedure done at an earlier age so that patients can benefit from the results for a longer period of time and avoid the known time-dependent complications of contact lens wear. These complications include, but are not limited to, progressive dry eye, blood vessel growth around the cornea, and contact lens-related corneal infections.

At What Age Is LASIK Surgery Safest?

As we discussed up top, there is no hard and fast rule about how old you have to be to get eye surgery on LASIK. In most cases, medical professionals advise scheduling laser eye treatment as soon as feasible (if the prescription is stable and the patient is a good candidate). Even so, there are benefits and drawbacks to undergoing the operation at various points in one’s life.

Undergoing LASIK Surgery in Your Late Teens and Early Twenties

Although it is advised that you obtain it before you hit your twenties, your refraction may still shift at that age. However, if your eye doctor determines that your prescription has been stable for a significant amount of time – at least a year or more – then Lasik eye surgery may be the best option to obtain visual freedom without being a slave to glasses or contact lenses, which are not healthy for your eyes in the long run.

Getting LASIK Surgery in Your mid-Twenties and Thirties

The majority of doctors agree that if you want to have eye surgery on LASIK, the optimal time to do so is when you’re still in your twenties or thirties. If you’re over 40 and haven’t started showing signs of presbyopia, it’s probably a good idea to get distance vision correction for both eyes. 

Presbyopia is the age-related inability of the eye to concentrate sharply on nearby objects. However, presbyopia is exceedingly unusual in this demographic because it often appears in people’s mid to late forties.

Having a LASIK Surgery in Your Forties

Patients may experience difficulty focusing on nearby things due to presbyopia at this age. Even though laser eye surgery usually results in greatly improved vision, some patients may find they still need reading glasses after treatment. 

For those of you in your 40s and 50s who are thinking about eye surgery with LASIK, this is important information to bear in mind. In spite of this, monovision is a great alternative for those in their middle years who want greater distance and close vision and gives them the possibility to do away with their glasses for most situations. 

In monovision, one eye is used for near vision and the other (the dominant eye) is used for distance, and while most people can get used to the difference, some can’t, so having an eye doctor conduct a monovision trial is the best way to find out if it works for you.

People Over 50 Who Opt for LASIK

Presbyopia will have progressed by this point, making it extremely harder to focus on nearby things. Some persons who desire to have refractive laser eye surgery to correct for presbyopia will opt for monovision, as was previously described.

As was previously said, monovision involves correcting the vision in only one eye, usually the dominant eye, so that it can focus on near objects while the other eye focuses on far objects. 

The operation can help those who have trouble seeing up close and far away; however, while it is a great option for many elderly patients, it isn’t appropriate for everyone; you should talk to your doctor about your specific situation.

A number of other eye health issues may also become more problematic at this age. If you are considering eye surgery with LASIK and are in this age range, it is essential that the clinic you choose has state-of-the-art diagnostics to detect diseases such as cataracts, dry eyes, and others.

Therefore, patients who are already experiencing dry eye symptoms may want to seek out appropriate treatment for this condition before undergoing LASIK surgery. Insisting on nothing less than the best conclusion necessitates this. If the patient has cataracts, they may need to be treated first before LASIK eye surgery is performed for optimal outcomes. 

Contact lens intolerance is a frequent symptom of dry eyes, and if you suffer from dry eyes, an ophthalmology clinic like Diamond Vision can help you manage and improve your condition with state-of-the-art tests and therapies.

At What Age Is It Best To Get LASIK Surgery?

It has been said that if there is an ideal time to get eye surgery with LASIK done, it is when your prescription is stable, rather than later. This typically occurs in one’s twenties, however it can occur as early as one’s late teens. 

Also, getting eye surgery with LASIK sooner rather than later reduces the likelihood that the patient would continue to wear contact lenses, which have been linked to an increased risk of dry eye. But that doesn’t imply you can’t achieve remarkable success in your forties or fifties. 

The two most important factors for you and your doctor to consider are whether or not your prescription has been stabled for long enough and whether or not your health is otherwise sufficient for the laser eye treatment or LASIK surgery.

It’s Never Too Late to Get Your Eyes Examined and Fixed

All things considered, if you are over the age of 18, eye surgery with LASIK is available whenever you want it. If you want to maximise the benefits of the surgery and minimise the risk of developing additional vision problems, having it done in your twenties may be your best bet. 

However, this in no way precludes the possibility of making this choice at a later date. If you’re in good overall health and have a clean medical history, your doctor may suggest LASIK eye treatment if your prescription measurements have been stable.

Nonetheless, it is crucial to speak with a professional ophthalmologist before undergoing the treatment if you have any concerns about whether or not you are a good candidate. A seasoned professional will advise you on the most effective course of action to restore your sight.

Therefore, please feel free to make an appointment with us here at Personal Eyes so that we may advise you on the best means to achieve your goal of visual independence.

Lastly

If you are having any question or inquiry about how to have a correct vision, Laser eye surgery, Corneal tissue problems, Lasik surgery, laser beam in healing process, excimer laser usage, refractive eye surgery, laser treatment, laser suite, contact sports, the surgical procedure for refractive surgery or Lasik laser eye surgery – you should get in touch with us via our Personal Eyes website to book your free assessment today.