Am I Too Old or Too Young for Laser Eye Surgery?
26 July 2019
Have you been considering treatment but wondering what the laser eye surgery age limit is? This type of vision correction procedure is a great alternative for those who have simply had enough of having to deal with glasses and contact lenses on a daily basis. Laser eye surgery is also a cost-effective way to save money in the long run, when financial plans with up to four years of interest-free credit are available.
Laser eye eurgery is available to a variety of age groups to help correct common eye conditions such as astigmatism, long-sightedness (hyperopia), and short-sightedness (myopia). But what is the right age for laser eye surgery? We’ll be expanding on this in a little more detail.
Am I Too Young for Laser Eye Surgery?
Treatments are generally offered to those who have reached the age of 18 and no younger. This is because as we grow, our prescription is more at risk of changing - there will be no stability to fall back on yet.
Laser eye surgery is designed to alter your prescription by reshaping your cornea for light to enter the eye in the correct way so your vision is improved. It would only be a waste to have treatment when there is a high possibility of your prescription changing again.
However, for someone who has a plus prescription (you can only see objects clearly in the distance without relying on visual aid), you would need to be over the age of 35 to be considered for laser treatment.
Am I Too Old for Laser Eye Surgery?
There is no upper age limit when it comes to having laser eye treatment, however, your suitability will be determined by the health of your eyes and the thickness of your cornea. As we grow older, there is a greater chance for eye conditions to develop such as:
- Keratoconus
- Glaucoma
- Macular Degeneration
- Diabetic Eye Disease
- Cataracts
These age-related conditions would mean that Laser eye surgery would not be possible to perform. However, for some of them, like cataracts, there are alternative treatments to get your eyesight back to its youthful state. Lens surgery would be an option to consider, where you are able to combat the problem of distant and reading vision.
The best time to get laser eye surgery treatment is between the ages of 18-40, provided your eye health is in good condition, the thickness of your cornea is adequate, and your prescription hasn’t changed in the span of 2 years.
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