Who can benefit from laser eye surgery? : Laser Eye Surgery
Laser eye surgery can correct three primary vision problems: myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and also astigmatism (blurred vision). It is refractive surgery that aims to abolish the patient’s reliance on glasses or contact lenses by remodelling the corneal stroma. It cannot correct prebyopia (farsightedness brought about by aging) because this does not affect the cornea but the eye’s inner lens.
In order to maximize the probability of success, the surgeon needs to take a few factors into consideration to determine the candidate’s suitability.
What are the minimum requirements?
The patient should be healthy and without serious illnesses, especially those affecting the eyes. Always speak with someone at your local eye clinic if you are unsure whether a condition could damage your chances of obtaining laser surgery. Age is another important factor, as many clinics will only treat patients over the age of 21. Some clinics offer their service to people from the age of 18 onwards, but you should talk to them about any criteria that the younger patient needs to fulfil. For instance, all patients undergoing laser eye surgery should have had a stable, unchanging eye prescription for at least a year before surgery. Extra caution is necessary in cases of people under 21, so clinics may require younger patients to have had a stable prescription for 3 or 4 years.
What factors can rule out laser eye surgery?
Along with being under 21 (or sometimes 18) as discussed above, there are certain factors which mean surgery is unlikely to be performed either due to health concerns or because the surgery would prove ineffective.
Pregnant women and young mothers, particularly those still nursing the baby, are not usually considered for surgery (this is a fairly standard medical position). Eye conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye) can rule out surgery, as can medical conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, or HIV and similar immunodeficiency states. All of these leave the body vulnerable because they may prevent healing, and thus surgery can be hazardous.
The severity of visual impairment also affects the effectiveness of laser surgery, and if you book a consultation with a specialist then they can examine your eyes and assess your suitability. Treating extremes at either end of the spectrum is not recommended: people with very minor eyesight problems, e.g. +0.50 or -0.50 diopter, or those suffering from full or partial blindness.
Which level of eyesight prescription is most suitable for surgery?
Each clinic or company may have their own guidelines as to the range of dioptres they will accept, based on their expertise and the specifications of their own laser. In general, you will find that laser eye surgery can treat any myopia prescription between –1.00 and –10.00, and hyperopia between +1.00 to +5.00. Mild forms of astigmatism are suitable for surgery. If you have a higher prescription – a more significant visual error – the clinic may point you in the direction of an alternative technique. Some of these are discussed in detail on our corresponding page.