If you want to get LASIK, there are a few things you need to know. The best way to get informed and find out if LASIK is right for you is to have a consultation.
Part of the consultation includes an evaluation to make sure LASIK will be safe for you. Keep reading for 3 tips to follow before you have your LASIK consultation!
1. Do A Quick Self Evaluation
Before you even go in for a consultation, you can determine fairly quickly if you may qualify for LASIK. Factors taken into consideration include:
- You must be at least 18 years of age or older
- Your prescription needs to be stable for over a year
- You should be in good health
- Your prescription should be within certain limits, meaning it can’t be too strong
If you’re missing one of these qualifiers, LASIK probably isn’t for you. But if you match the criteria, go ahead and go in for a consultation.
Keep in mind these are only some of the factors that go into LASIK candidacy. To know for sure if you’re a LASIK candidate, you must have a LASIK consultation.
2. Find A Reputable Practice
Going to a reputable specialist is of utmost importance. There are a lot of laser eye centers these days, and many of them have plenty of satisfied patients.
But there are some that may have less than favorable outcomes. LASIK is a safe procedure, but like any surgery, it does carry some risks.
These risks can be minimized by an experienced surgeon, so be sure to do your research! A good measure of whether a practice is safe is if they screen out around 15% of patients who go in for a consultation.
This shows that they’re cautious and will put your safety above potential profit. Also, be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.
Chances are, they are! Look very closely at centers that advertise extreme bargains on billboards or on the radio. With LASIK, you tend to get what you pay for. This is not something you want to get the cheapest possible deal for.
3. Know What to Expect
A large part of your LASIK consultation will involve an evaluation. This is to make sure you qualify for having the procedure.
This will include several exams, including a comprehensive eye exam. This is much like the one you would have at a yearly check-up at your eye doctor.
But it also includes taking more specific measurements, including the thickness of your cornea and the size of your pupils. Many of these measurements can be done by taking a scan of your cornea. This creates a topographical map that your surgeon can look closely at.
They’ll also measure your tear production and see how well your tears disperse over the surface of your eye along with the quality of your tears. Adequate moisture is essential to recovery from any eye surgery.
Poor tear quality can make healing from LASIK very uncomfortable and even unsafe. With proper treatment for dry eye, you may still be able to undergo LASIK safely.
Be aware that even if you meet most requirements for LASIK, you may not be a good candidate for other reasons. This may be for something as simple as having corneas that are too thin.
That’s okay! You may be able to have an alternative procedure like PRK. Talking with the surgeon during your consultation is the perfect time to learn about these alternatives.
Ready to see if LASIK could be right for you? Schedule a consultation at New England Eye Center in Boston, MA!
