Those who have received LASIK Laser Eye Surgery or Custom LASIK Laser Eye Surgery in Denver, Colorado, often find that life without glasses and contacts can be truly life altering. LASIK Eye Surgery is the most successful type of laser eye surgery for correcting nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. LASIK has proven to be a highly effective and safe method of vision correction.
As with any surgery, there are certain people who should not have LASIK. It is imperative that a potential laser vision correction candidate has obtained a stable prescription for at least one year. Good candidates for LASIK in Denver, Colorado are at least 18 years of age, in good general health, and have no eye diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma. A free consultation with your LASIK doctor in Denver, Colorado is the best way to determine if you are a candidate. Your Denver ophthalmologist will follow these guidelines when considering your candidacy for LASIK. For safe laser eye surgery, the LASIK candidate must meet the following requirements:
- The ideal LASIK candidate must be at least 18 years old. This is to ensure that the eye has developed properly and matured,
- Vision must be stable for at least one year prior to surgery,
- The ideal LASIK candidate must have sufficient corneal thickness (the cornea is the transparent front part of the eye). A LASIK patient should have a cornea that is thick enough to allow the surgeon to safely create a clean corneal flap of appropriate depth.
- The ideal LASIK candidate must be affected by one of the common types of vision problems or refractive error – myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (blurred vision caused by an irregular shaped cornea), hyperopia (farsightedness), or a combination thereof (e.g., myopia with astigmatism).
- A LASIK candidate may not be nursing or pregnant on the date of surgery, and must wait at least two menstrual cycles before being measured for surgery.
- Individuals with dry eye syndrome are not good LASIK candidates.
- No eye infection or injury within the past year.
- Candidates may not be affected by an autoimmune disorder, such as Sjogren’s Syndrome or Lupus.
- No history of herpes infections in the eye, as LASIK may bring on a recurrence of the infection.
- No scarring may be present on the cornea to be considered for LASIK.
- Individuals with pupils that dilate beyond seven millimeters in the dark are not good candidates for LASIK.
- Are adequately informed about the benefits and risks of the procedure. Candidates should thoroughly discuss the procedure with their physicians and understand that for most people, the goal of refractive surgery should be the reduction of dependency on glasses and contact lens-es, not their complete elimination.
The ideal LASIK candidate is free of eye diseases including keratoconus, glaucoma, cataracts and certain retinal and optic nerve diseases, and free of certain eye viruses including herpes simplex and herpes zoster. The ideal LASIK candidate is free of certain health problems including uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune or collagen vascular disease, and any medication or condition that affects the patient’s autoimmune system.
The ideal LASIK candidate informs his or her eye doctor of all eye problems including lazy eye, muscle imbalance, previous eye surgery or injury, severe dry eyes, or any recurrent, residual or active eye conditions. The ideal LASIK candidate should also relate to the eye doctor information about keloid scarring, back problems, and any psychological problems, which may affect the surgery or recovery.
Since hormones may affect the stability of your prescription, women who are pregnant or nursing not LASIK candidates until two menstrual cycles after nursing has been discontinued. This is to limit fluctuations in prescription that can occur with hormonal shifts.
LASIK does have risks that one needs to fully understand in order to make an informed decision about whether or not it is worth having for you as an individual. A comprehensive examination and consultation with your LASIK surgeon in Denver, Colorado is the best way to insure that you will experience your best possible results.