How Old Do You Have to Be to Get LASIK?

Many people with refractive errors like astigmatism or nearsightedness have had them since a young age. If you are a young adult frustrated with your corrective lenses, LASIK laser eye surgery might be a good option for you. Learn more about this procedure and how your Vold Vision specialists determine whether you are a good candidate. 

What is LASIK Laser Eye Surgery?

LASIK is a form of laser eye surgery that creates a flap in the cornea, the eye’s clear outer layer. It then reshapes the cornea to correct your vision. This process can address nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, offering many people 20/20 vision or better. LASIK is the most popular type of vision correction surgery, but not the only one, so you have options even if you are not a good LASIK candidate. This procedure is used to provide long-lasting vision correction for most people.

How Does LASIK Work?

Your eye surgeon will numb your eyes and may give you medication to help you feel relaxed. They will use the Zeiss VisuMax® laser, an advanced system so precise that it can respond to your breathing. After creating a flap in the outer layer of the cornea, your eye surgeon uses this laser to remove microscopic layers of your cornea until it achieves the desired shape. The laser takes only about 15 seconds per eye, and the entire procedure lasts less than 30 minutes.  Reshaping your cornea changes the angle of light entering your eye. As a result, light focuses on your retina and produces a clear image.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Get LASIK?

LASIK candidates should meet a few specific criteria. One of the most important is that you should be eighteen or older to have laser eye surgery. LASIK is not intended for use on those under eighteen, even if they have a refractive error. Candidates should also:

• Have had a stable prescription for at least a year
• Be able to maintain their gaze straight ahead for two minutes
• Have generally healthy eyes
• Have normal, healthy corneas
• Not suffer from dry eye
• Have a prescription within the range that LASIK can treat
• Have reasonable expectations

Candidates should understand that while most people achieve significant vision improvements, everyone’s results differ. 20/20 vision or better is common but not guaranteed. Most people can greatly reduce or eliminate the need to wear corrective lenses. 

Because LASIK creates a corneal flap, your Vold Vision eye surgeon may recommend a different procedure if your corneas are abnormal or unhealthy. LASIK is also not the best procedure for people with dry eye problems. Your eye surgeon will also ask you if you engage in contact sports. The LASIK flap could be disrupted by these activities. You can still have laser eye surgery, but we may recommend a different type.

What is Recovery Like After LASIK Eye Surgery

Your vision will be blurry for about 24 hours after your procedure, so you will need someone to drive you home. You will have anti-inflammatory and antibiotic eye drops to help your eyes heal and relieve minor symptoms like irritation and itching. Most people return to work, driving, and other activities in one to two days. Avoid swimming and contact sports for two weeks. Your vision will continue to improve for two weeks or more, depending on your prescription and other factors. 

What Results Will I See After LASIK?

You will begin enjoying your full LASIK improvements within two weeks of your procedure. You can expect significant improvements and less or no need for your contacts or glasses. LASIK results will usually last ten years or more, depending on the age you get the procedure and other factors. We recommend sunglasses with UV protection to preserve your eye health. 
Although the changes to your cornea are permanent, your eyes will eventually experience age-related changes. The most common is presbyopia, which occurs when your lens loses flexibility and makes it hard to see things up close, and cataracts, which occur as the lenses become cloudy with time. Both conditions are also treatable, letting you maintain your clear vision.

Take the Next Step

You’ll benefit not only from the latest technologies available but also from our compassionate, personal approach. You’re more than a patient at Vold Vision in Bentonville and Fayetteville. We strive to make you as comfortable as possible while evaluating the optimal treatment plan just for you. We invite Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville, and Springdale residents to contact us today for a consultation at (479) 442-8653.