Am I A Good Candidate For LASIK?

At my optometry practice here in Ann Arbor, I am asked by patients every day, "Am I a good LASIK candidate?" There are a variety of areas we look at to answer that question.

The first key area in determining candidacy for LASIK is stability of the eyeglass prescription. We like to see the prescription be stable for at least one year. We define stable as changing 0.25 units or less in a single year. It is generally rare for a person under the age of 21 to have a stable prescription.

A second area is corneal thickness. LASIK laser surgery thins the central cornea. Therefore, a cornea that is thinner than the average may not be a good LASIK candidate. We quickly and easily measure the central corneal thickness with Ultrasound.

A third key area is corneal surface quality. Corneas that are irregular or cone-shaped (Keratoconus) are definitely NOT good LASIK candidates. By using an instrument made by the Zeiss Corporation called a Corneal Topographer, we are able to map the shape of the cornea and measure the corneal surface quality.

Another important factor is eye wettability. Dry eyes can make a patient a poor LASIK candidate. LASIK usually makes the eye temporarily drier than usual. This can push a borderline dry eye into an inflamed, irritated dry eye with intermittently fuzzy vision. Careful tear film evaluations with various dyes are used to look for dry eye problems.

The factors discussed above are some, not all, of the key areas we will look at to determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery. Good candidates generally have great surgical outcomes and are extremely satisfied with their experience.

The next time you go to see your optometrist for your eye care, ask if you are a good candidate for LASIK surgery.

Steven Lutz, OD
Serving Ann Arbor, Saline, Ypsilanti, Pinckney, Milan, Dexter, Chelsea, Brighton, Howell, Whitmore Lake and surrounding areas since 1988.