Am I a candidate for LASIK?

LASIK has an extremely high success rate. According to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, 96% of patients achieve 20/20 vision or better. However, its high success rate doesn’t automatically make LASIK the best choiec for everyone.

Candidacy for LASIK is assessed by Dr. Bainbridge on a case-by-case basis so that you can be certain that whatever treatment is recommended for you, it will give you the very best chance to optimize your vision. During your consultation, Dr. Bainbridge will perform a thorough examination of your eyes and vision, discuss your general health and talk you through both the procedure and after-care.
 

The general guidelines for LASIK candidacy state that patients must:

·         be at least 18 years of age

·         have had stable vision with no prescription changes for a minimum of 12 months

·         have a current prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses that falls in a specific range

·         have no significant medical or eye-related problems such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy

·         have no history of corneal disease or certain other diseases

·         not be pregnant or nursing at the time of the procedure

UNDERSTANDING EXPECTATIONS

An important element of any LASIK consultation is the conversation surrounding the expectations and predicted outcomes of your procedure. Many people mistakenly believe that LASIK will completely eliminate their need for visual aids. While this is a possibility for some patients, for a finite time, a good candidate for LASIK understands and accepts that they may still require the use of prescription visual aids in some circumstances, such as when driving in low light conditions, or when reading or doing other near work as  they get older.

If you are interested in finding out more about LASIK surgery, or if you would like to schedule a consultation, do not hesitate to contact our friendly and knowledgeable team. We look forward to supporting your journey to clearer vision.