How to know if you are a good eye surgery candidate?

When you go to see your surgeon (look at the section on how to choose the right Doctor) they will conduct tests on your eyes to make sure that you qualify for LASIK surgery. If for example your cornea's are too thin , you may not be a good candidate. Your surgeon will conduct tests on your eyes to make sure you qualify for the LASIK procedure, which involves removing tissue from the clear front covering (cornea) of your eye. If your corneas are too thin, for example, you might not be a good candidate.

Here are some of the factors the surgeon will check to see if your are a candidate for LASIK eye surgery:

Age varies as some grow quicker than others, but usually 21 is the minimum age because the eyes are still growing.

If you have healthy eyes which are free from retinal problem, corneal scars and any disease of the eye (refractive errors are considered eye disorders, diseases)then Doctors will see you suitable for surgery.

The difference of vision is measured in diopters, a good candidate must fall into the specific range if they are going to qualify for eye surgery. For severe myopia the range is from -12.00 diopters and for severe hyperopia from +5.00 diopters.

That you know all the risks that could occur from surgery if it goes wrong and that you are confident in taking the risk.

You must not have had a significant change to the prescription to your glasses or contact lenses in the previous 12 months.

The thickness of your cornea is another prime factor in becoming a candidate. Your cornea must have a total thickness of 500 microns or greater. The laser needs at least 250 micros of posterior (behind the flap) thickness after the procedure. This minimum number is needed for added stability, and a reserve of tissue is needed in case re-treatment is required.

The diameter of your pupil must ideally be no more than 6.5mm. Although recent technological advancements means that the surery can work with pupil diameters up to 9.5mm.