Ophthalmologist & LASIK Surgeon Serving Chicago, Lombard & Naperville Areas Of Illinois
Posted: March 25, 2020
LASIK is one of the most popular and effective ways to correct refractive vision errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. When performed on the right patients, LASIK can deliver exceptional results, restoring clear vision and often eliminating the need for corrective lenses after your procedure. However, LASIK isn’t right for everyone. It’s important to ensure you’re a good candidate for the procedure before moving forward with surgery.
In order to be considered a good LASIK candidate, you must meet the following criteria:
- Age – LASIK is FDA-approved for individuals age 18 and older.
- Healthy eyes – Eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, keratoconus, corneal disease and certain retinal diseases may rule you out as a LASIK candidate. If you have an infection, eye injury or conjunctivitis, you must wait to undergo LASIK until the issue has been treated.
- Corneal thickness – Your cornea must be thick enough to accommodate the creation of a flap used to access your underlying corneal tissue. If your cornea is very thin, it may rule you out as a LASIK candidate.
- Pupil size – If your pupils are very large, it may increase your risk of complications such as glare, halos and starbursts in low light conditions, such as when driving at night.
- Prescription – LASIK outcomes for patients with very severe refractive errors are much less predictable. If you have a very high prescription, our ophthalmologist may recommend an alternative procedure for more effective results.
- Stable vision – You must have a stable vision prescription for at least one year prior to undergoing LASIK.
- Health – You should be in good overall health. Conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes or autoimmune diseases may rule you out as a LASIK candidate.
- Pregnancy – Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy can temporarily alter your vision. For this reason, women who are currently pregnant should delay their LASIK procedure until after giving birth.
- Dry eyes – Dry eye syndrome doesn’t necessarily rule you out as a candidate for LASIK. However, our ophthalmologist may have to treat the condition before you can undergo LASIK.
Contact our Chicago LASIK Surgeon
Please contact Foulkes Vision using the form on this page or call 630-724-1400 today to schedule a free LASIK consultation. We serve patients in Chicago, Lombard and the surrounding areas of Illinois.