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Your refractive error, occupation, leisure activities, age and
personal expectations all help to determine whether you are a good
candidate for LASIK surgery. You must have REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
and understand that vision correction procedures are NOT ALWAYS
PERFECT. For most patients, refractive surgery offers the opportunity
to function normally without glasses or contact lenses. While it
is impossible to guarantee 20/20 vision with every vision correction
procedure many patients do achieve 20/20 and say they see better
than ever. In some cases it may be necessary to wear a thin pair
of glasses at certain times such as driving at night. Don't forget
if you are over 40, you likely have presbyopia and will need glasses
for near work, unless you are successful at monovision.
Guidelines
To be eligible for LASIK, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have stable vision for at least one year before surgery(bring
old contact lenses or glasses prescription to your exam.)
- Have healthy eyes that are free of disease, scars, retinal problems,
and corneal malformations
- Have realistic expectations and objectives for surgery
Why Refractive Surgery May Be Right for You.
A desire to REDUCE or ELIMINATE YOUR DEPENDENCE UPON CORRECTIVE
EYEWEAR for your daily activities is the proper reason for undergoing
refractive surgery. Do you wish to awaken and be able to see the
alarm clock, to get dressed in the morning, to function at home
and at the office independent of corrective eyewear? Would you like
to be more active in sports--especially water sports--without the
hassle of glasses or contact lenses? Would you like to be able to
take care of yourself and your family in the event of an emergency
without relying on glasses or contacts? These are reasonable goals
for pursuing refractive surgery.
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Why Refractive Surgery May NOT Be Right for You.
If you expect a perfect outcome. No surgical procedure can assure
you of a perfect result and it is not possible to guarantee that
your goals will be achieved. At EyeCare Associates, we strive to
achieve the best results in surgical vision correction through professional
and technological excellence. However, no refractive surgical technique
is as accurate, predictable, or precise for correcting vision as
spectacles or contact lenses.
If you expect perfect vision under all conditions. Refractive surgical
procedures, work by changing the shape of the central portion of
the cornea. It is not possible anatomically to change the shape
of the entire cornea. Consequently, when your pupil enlarges at
night, you may look through some of the unchanged (nearsighted)
cornea, and your vision will become slightly nearsighted--or you
may notice halos, ghost images, or other visual aberrations. Thus,
you may need a thin pair of glasses (or contact lenses) to help
you drive comfortably at night--or to see your best at the back
of a movie theater. If you will be unhappy wearing eyewear for occasional
needs, then refractive surgery is probably not for you.
If you are seeking vision that is better than your current vision
with glasses or contact lenses. Don't expect refractive surgery
to improve the best vision you now obtain with the best pair of
glasses or contacts that can be prescribed for you. Refractive surgery
is intended for those who wish to avoid the inconvenience of glasses
or contact lenses. In order to achieve the convenience of freedom
from eyewear, you may have to settle for vision that is not as sharp
as you are used to.
Special Refractive Surgery Considerations
Refractive surgery DOES NOT PREVENT presbyopia the age-related loss
of the eye's ability to vary its focusing power. If you are over
40 and have both of your eyes fully corrected for distance vision,
you will need reading glasses for near work. As an alternative to
reading glasses, you may elect to leave one eye slightly nearsighted;
an outcome called monovision. A trial of monovision in contacts
is necessary to know if this is a possibility for you.
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