Medically Reviewed by Dagny Zhu, M.D.
What Can Disqualify You for LASIK?
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Medically Reviewed by Dagny Zhu, M.D.
According to the American Refractive Surgery Council (ARSC), for every time someone has inquired about getting LASIK surgery, one in five, or 20%, do not qualify for the procedure. LASIK surgery candidacy is dependent upon several parameters, some of them surprising to the layman.
The aspects discouraging people from opting for LASIK surgery include things like medical preconditions, age, temporary conditions, cost, and other complications. For those considering LASIK, check out this guide to find out if you’re likely to qualify as a LASIK candidate.
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What Can Disqualify You for LASIK?
LASIK may not be for you if you meet any of the following conditions:
Your Eyewear Prescription Has Changed in the Past Two Years
When you undertake LASIK surgery, you want a stable eye to work with. There’s no sense making minute adjustments to a cornea that’s going to change more later. One of the major downsides to LASIK is that you can only get it once, since it involves an incision in the eye and that’s not a good place to build up scar tissue.
Your eyeglass prescription can change for any of a number of reasons: Being under the age of 18, being subject to hormonal changes such as pregnancy, or having a condition such as uncontrolled diabetes.
You Take Certain Prescription Medications
Medications can interfere with the healing process post-surgery. In addition, various medications alter your vision and focus just enough to throw LASIK surgery off.
You Have Certain Diseases
Autoimmune diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, and immunodeficiency conditions, like HIV or diabetes, can prevent proper healing after refractive procedures.
You Play Contact Sports
Contact sports entail a good amount of getting knocked about. If you’re a pro football player or engage in boxing, martial arts, or other physically demanding sport where you’re subject to trauma damage, LASIK isn’t going to work for you because your eyes will be too delicate for major shocks.
You Have Other Eye Conditions
The condition you want LASIK surgery for will be a refractive error such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. But other eye conditions in conjunction, such as blepharitis or eye dryness, will complicate LASIK too much to risk it. There are also structural issues with the eye which affects your candidacy, such as large pupils or thin corneas.
When discussing LASIK with your eye doctor, it is important to be open and honest about your health history. Your doctor does not want to prevent you from getting LASIK if that’s what you want. They just want to make sure that you are a good candidate for the procedure and that you will be likely to achieve positive results from the surgery.
You have to understand that you’re risking your only pair of eyes. While 20 million Americans have gotten the procedure over the last 20 years and report satisfaction rates of 92%, there is that remaining 8% who turned out not to benefit and sometimes, due to complications, turned out worse off. Screening out conditions that complicate LASIK outcome helps prevent those who would regret getting the procedure.
The Cost of LASIK
LASIK is considered an elective procedure, hence it is not covered by medical insurance. The out-of-pocket cost for LASIK is sometimes a prohibition against getting it done, especially when compared to the trivial cost of glasses and contacts.
LASIK currently costs between $1000 and $3000 per eye, for a total outlay of up to $6000. The price varies based on many factors, such as how much vision correction you need, the technology being used, and how much aftercare service is provided.
With the increasing popularity of LASIK, many insurance companies are offering supplemental vision insurance coverage. Many of these supplemental plans offer specific discounts for LASIK surgery. If you need help paying for LASIK, explore supplemental insurance options so the cost is not a disqualifying factor for you.
Who LASIK Is For?
LASIK is prescribed for people with refractive errors contributing to myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, to a significant degree. Laser eye surgery is not something to be undertaken trivially. IF you meet all the following qualifications, you’re a good candidate for LASIK:
- You have up to +6.00 diopters of hyperopia
- You have up to -12.00 diopters of myopia
- You have up to 6 diopters of astigmatism
- You are 18 or older
- You have a vision prescription that has not changed for at least two years
- You don’t have any eye disease, injury, or infection
- You are in good general health
- You have a cornea that is thick enough to be reshaped
Ultimately, qualifying for LASIK is based on your eye surgeon’s recommendation and your vision goals. Speak with your ophthalmologist about the current condition of your eyes and what you hope to get of the surgery to determine your LASIK options.
LASIK is highly effective at reducing dependency on corrective lenses, but it does not guarantee 100 percent clear vision after surgery. As many as 96% of patients report being satisfied with the outcomes of their surgery. Satisfaction varies from patient to patient and according to the expectations you have for the surgery.
How to Find Out if You Qualify
To find out if you qualify for LASIK, make an appointment to discuss the procedure with your eye doctor. Through a comprehensive review of your eyes, health history, and vision goals, you will be able to find out if LASIK is right for you. Together, you can make a plan to achieve better vision.
What if you fall into that 20% who don’t qualify for LASIK? There are a number of alternative procedures to recommend instead, including some less invasive surgeries or other methods.
Even if you do qualify, whether you take this step is still up to your lifestyle and expectations. Like all surgeries, you’re taking a risk with LASIK and there’s never a guarantee that it will turn out perfect, or that age-related changes won’t introduce complications down the line. You should have realistic expectations about what the surgery can accomplish, so try talking to people who have actually had the procedure done.
References
- Are You a Candidate for LASIK? 5 Guidelines You Should Know. (April 2018). American Refractive Surgery Council.
- How Much Does LASIK Cost? Vision Service Plan.
- What Is the Success Rate of LASIK? (October 2017). American Refractive Surgery Council.
- When Is LASIK Not for Me? (July 2018). U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
Dr. Dagny Zhu is a nationally acclaimed, Harvard-trained specialist in cornea, cataract, and laser refractive surgery. As a key opinion leader in advanced laser vision correction and cataract surgery, Dr. Zhu has been featured in over 200 lectures, presentations, publications, and press features.
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