Three Reasons Laser Eye Surgery might not be for you

Laser Eye Surgery has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past decade, so much so that today, here at London Vision Clinic, we are proud to say that we can treat 98% of the patients who contact us.

However, even though Laser Eye Surgery can now treat conditions which were once believed to be untreatable—such as very high prescriptions and ageing eyes—there are still certain instances in which Laser Eye Surgery is not appropriate or effective.

Fortunately, not all of those conditions are permanent, meaning it may just be a short time until you are a suitable candidate for Laser Eye Surgery.

So let’s dive in and take a look at three of the most common reasons why Laser Eye Surgery might not be for you.

You don’t have a stable prescription

A fluctuating contact lenses or glasses prescription is an indication that you may not be ready for Laser Eye Surgery. Teenagers and young adults often experience such changes in their prescriptions up until around their early 20s, when refractive errors begin to stabilise. Others who may also experience similar issues include those with fluctuating hormones due to conditions such as diabetes, and those who are taking certain medications.

It is therefore practical to wait until such a time when your eyes are in a stable condition—this will be at least 12 months following your last prescription change—before undergoing surgery.

Of course you can still have a chat with a specialist consultant to find out the current condition of your eye health. Here at London Vision Clinic, our consultants quickly establish if—or when—you will be suitable for surgery by checking the thickness and shape of the cornea, identifying any underlying diseases, and evaluating your previous prescriptions.

You have poor eye health or overall health

As with many forms of surgery, it’s important to be in a good state of health before undertaking the procedure. In particular, if you suffer from collagen vascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, or lupus, your chances of having Laser Eye Surgery may be diminished. This is because such conditions which affect the immune system can cause complications to arise in the healing process.

It is equally—if not more—important to have healthy eyes. For instance, there should be no evidence of ‘keratoconus’, a degenerative condition which causes the cornea to be thin and more conically shaped. As there needs to sufficient tissue in order to reshape the cornea, patients with such thin corneas may not be suitable for surgery.

And so, it’s only through an initial screening, when the thickness of the cornea is assessed, that the level of improvement which can be made to your vision can be determined.

Read more about eye health in our Q&A with Prof Reinstein.

You are currently pregnant or nursing

It’s well known that during pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing, it’s common to experience hormonal imbalances. Less known however, is that these changes can affect visual acuteness, and as a result disrupt the stability of prescriptions.

In order to once again become a good candidate for Laser Eye Surgery, it is often recommended that three menstrual cycles pass following the period of nursing.

Check out this short video where Prof Reinstein discusses the question: Can I have Laser Eye Surgery if I am pregnant or breast feeding?

If you’d like to find out if you’re a suitable candidate for Laser Eye Surgery, leave us a comment or give us a call us on 020 7224 1005.