When to Consider Laser Eye Surgery
Do you dream of a day when you won't need eyeglasses or contact lenses to see clearly? Laser eye surgery could make that dream a reality. Laser eye surgery improves vision by reshaping the cornea and can be a good option if you have myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism. Deciding the ideal time for your surgery requires thinking about these questions:
Is Your Vision Stable?
Your vision must be stable for at least a year or two before you schedule laser eye surgery. If your vision continues to change after surgery, your results won't last as long. Waiting until your vision stabilizes helps you ensure you receive the maximum benefit from the surgery.
Are you pregnant?
It's not unusual to experience temporary vision changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you're pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, laser eye surgery should be delayed until after your baby is born. Planning on breastfeeding? It's best to postpone surgery until your baby is weaned, as hormonal changes during breastfeeding may cause vision fluctuations.
How's Your Vision Health?
Certain eye conditions or diseases may affect the outcome of laser eye surgery, including cataracts, thin corneas, glaucoma, retinal diseases, uveitis, large pupils, eye injuries, dry eye, and diseases that affect the cornea.
Your condition or disease won't necessarily prevent you from having laser eye surgery, but may affect the type of surgery that's best for you. For example, laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) may be a better option than laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) if you have dry eye or thin corneas.
How Old Are You?
Although you can technically have laser eye surgery when you're 18 or older, you may want to wait a little longer to make sure your vision has stabilized. The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that vision can change until you're about 25.
Laser eye surgery is most often performed on people between 25 and 40. After age 40, your near vision may worsen due to presbyopia. This refractive error causes blurry near vision and is the number one reason why people wear reading glasses as they age. Presbyopia occurs when the eye's clear lens stiffens and struggles to change shape when you focus on books, screens, and other objects close to your face.
You can undergo laser eye surgery to improve nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism. However, if you have presbyopia, you'll likely still need reading glasses after the procedure. Laser surgery changes the shape of the cornea, but doesn't improve lens flexibility.
Monovision LASIK could be a good option if you have presbyopia and want to improve your vision at all distances. During this procedure, one eye is corrected for near vision, while the other eye is corrected for far vision. Your brain combines information from both eyes to permit good vision at various distances. Ophthalmologists recommend trying monovision contact lenses for a few weeks before undergoing monovision LASIK, as monovision can make some people feel dizzy.
Are You Healthy?
Are you in good health, or do you have a disease or condition that affects vision? People who have certain diseases and conditions, including diabetes, HIV, or autoimmune disorders, may be poor candidates for laser eye surgery. These conditions could affect wound healing or cause fluctuating vision. If you have a health condition, your eye doctor may recommend a particular type of laser eye surgery or may tell you that the surgery isn't a good idea.
What Are Your Expectations?
Realistic expectations are important when you're considering laser eye surgery. Although the surgery offers excellent outcomes for most people, some people don't achieve 20/20 vision. According to the American Refractive Surgery Council, 99% of patients have vision better than 20/40, and 90% have 20/20 vision or better after surgery.
Ready to find out if it's the ideal time for laser eye surgery? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the ophthalmologist.
Sources:
All About Vision: Corrective Eye Surgery Basics, 2/26/2019
American Academy of Ophthalmology: Questions to Ask When Considering LASIK, 4/29/2023
https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lasik-questions-to-ask
American Refractive Surgery Council: What Is the LASIK Success Rate, 1/23/2025
https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/laser-eye-surgery-lasik-success-rate/
Mayo Clinic: LASIK Surgery: Is It Right for You, 5/21/2025
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/lasik-eye-surgery/in-depth/lasik-surgery/art-20045751
U.S. Food & Drug Administration: When Is LASIK Not for ME?
