At what age is it best to undergo laser vision correction
A patient’s age is one of the variables that affect whether a patient can undergo laser vision correction. Why? Because our eyes grow, they wear out like all other organs and get sick. An ophthalmologist is able to grasp the optimal time to perform surgery so that the effects are permanent and there is no need for a touch-up.
Before the age of 18
Usually doctors undertake the following laser vision correctionwhen the patient turns 18, but there are some who prefer to wait until the patient is 21. year of age. As long as the eyeball is in the growth phase and the visual defect is getting worse, it makes no sense to carry out laser vision correction – it would be a “momentary” procedure, and the need for a touch-up would be inevitable. Each elongation of the eyeball by 1 millimeter induces a visual defect of -3.00 diopters!
Between the ages of 19-40
When we are between 19 and 40 years old, we are at the best age to undergo laser vision correction. The defect is stabilized, the eye has reached its target size, and the thickness, degree of hydration and elasticity of the cornea are optimal. We also usually enjoy the best health during this period, which means that absolute contraindications to laser vision correction often simply do not apply to us, and we are able to deal with relative ones.
In your forties
After the age of 40, the first symptoms of presbyopia. It is associated with progressive stiffening of the lens and weakening of the eye’s accommodative ability (accommodative muscles become weaker and weaker). These changes cannot be prevented – they result from the natural wear and tear of our body. Even the healthiest lifestyle will not make them pass us by. Some diseases, such as diabetes, or taking antihistamines or antidepressants can accelerate the development of presbyopia.
If you have a visual defect that is now being joined by presbyopia or cataracts – read about possible solutions to this complex problem here.
In their fifties
Many times we will encounter the phrase: “we operate on people up to the age of 55/60/65”. Whether a patient is too old for surgery is decided by the doctor in each case. And if he or she refuses laser intervention it is because the condition of the patient’s eye – including the thickness, degree of hydration and elasticity of the cornea – and general health come into play, which can deteriorate significantly with age. However, it is common for older people (in their fifties and even into their sixties and beyond) to have refractive lens replacement surgery for presbyopia and/or cataracts.
