While there is currently no age limit for older adults wanting LASIK surgery, there are some vision conditions affecting adults age 40 and above that can't be treated with this surgery. These conditions are: Presbyopia or blurry near vision typically occurring around age 40. Cataracts or glaucoma.
A review of 424 LASIK patients in their 40s through 60s showed that outcomes were generally similar regardless of age, but older patients were slightly more likely to need a repeat treatment or enhancements. However, there are some age-related issues that could mean LASIK is not the right choice for you.
But there are plenty of people in their 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond who have relatively healthy eyes and therefore may still be perfectly good candidates for LASIK. So the idea that there is an upper-age limit for treatment is simply false. You're never too old for LASIK if your eyes are healthy enough.
The best results of LASIK surgery will be achieved when patients' eyes are stable and when their eye prescription has not changed within at least the past two years. Special considerations must be taken in patients over 40 because this is a time in which the eyes are likely to begin to change once again.
If you're over 50, but have little to no signs of cataracts developing, you may be a candidate for LASIK. In fact, corneas strengthen with time, so in some ways, patients in their 50s are at less risk than patients in their teens and 20s!
Surgeons at The Eye Institute of Utah have performed LASIK on patients in their 50's and beyond. While there is no cutoff age for LASIK candidacy, there are several reasons why the average age of LASIK patients tops out around 45: The risk of developing cataracts increases as we age.
Generally speaking, you can never be too old for LASIK. To be a suitable candidate, you must have good general health, a stable prescription, the correct corneal anatomy, and of course, be over 18.
The four alternatives to traditional LASIK eye surgery are LASEK, Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants, Epi-LASIK, and Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery.
Is it possible to have LASIK surgery twice? The short answer is yes, though this is usually only done 5 – 10 years after the initial treatment. However, rest assured that LASIK offers long-term vision correction, and very few people require a second session.
For people in their 40s, LASIK may still be a good option as they begin to experience age-related vision changes, but their visual progression also opens the door for other procedure options.
While there is currently no age limit for older adults wanting LASIK surgery, there are some vision conditions affecting adults age 40 and above that can't be treated with this surgery. These conditions are: Presbyopia or blurry near vision typically occurring around age 40. Cataracts or glaucoma.
Risks. Complications that result in a loss of vision are very rare. But certain side effects of LASIK eye surgery, particularly dry eyes and temporary visual problems such as glare, are fairly common. These usually clear up after a few weeks or months, and very few people consider them to be a long-term problem.
In fact, by the age of 80, over half of all Americans have a cataract or have had cataract surgery to remove the cataractous lens. There's no need to worry if you have cataracts, though. Cataract surgery is a common procedure that can restore sight.
The ultra-precise lasers used for LASIK surgery can be programmed to reshape the cornea so the front surface of the eye is more symmetrical, thereby eliminating vision problems caused by astigmatism. Most of the time astigmatism can be fully corrected with a single LASIK procedure.
You can get LASIK more than once. But undergoing more than three LASIK procedures can be harmful to your health and cause severe vision problems. Each time you undergo LASIK, the surgeon removes corneal tissue. If your corneas are too thin after the first procedure, you may not be able to have a second LASIK surgery.
Many LASIK patients do experience vision correction that lasts a lifetime. Patients with vision that's changed several years after LASIK could undergo LASIK again. The first step is to contact the practice that originally performed your procedure. You'll need another LASIK consultation.
Patients requiring contact lenses for vision correction after LASIK can be fitted for lenses 8-12 weeks after surgery, once refraction and topography have stabilized. Fitting contact lenses in post-refractive patients is more difficult than in nonsurgical eyes.
Can you get LASIK for farsightedness? Yes, full-distance correction is possible with LASIK. Presbyopia, or farsightedness, is something that occurs in everyone as they age. For most people, symptoms of presbyopia begin to show in the early to mid-40s.
However, it is a fact that all laser refractive surgery patients in general and lasik surgery in particular, will have a certain rate of re-myopia. Depending on the severity of the refractive error, the rate of this re-myopia can range from 1-2% to 12-15%.
The Ortho-K procedure is achieved in a unique way, with the wearing of specially designed contact lenses. These lenses are custom designed to gently change the shape of your cornea ( the front curvature of your eye) to safely and gently improve your vision. The best analogy for Ortho-K is "orthodontics for the eye".
We can't correct our vision without professional help, and there's no quick-and-easy fix for eyesight problems. But with tools such as good nutrition and diet, you can still help your eyesight naturally and on your own. As always, please discuss with your eye doctor.
Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
Even those over 40 or 50 years old can benefit from the procedure, which is an investment that is worth it compared to wearing glasses or contacts for the rest of their lives. LASIK after 40 can provide improved vision for a long time after the initial surgery, although it is important to have realistic expectations.
Yes, your vision can be potentially too bad for LASIK. LASIK is available to a variety of patients, but patients will generally qualify for treatment if their vision falls between -0.5 D to -8.0 D myopia. The maximum prescription for treatment for patients with moderate to severe myopia is around -8.0 D.