The best and worst times to have Laser Eye Surgery

Many of us will choose to put off the important decisions in life because it isn’t the right time. Moving house, changing careers, having a child – all of these decisions require a lot of thought and weighing up all the information in order to determine whether it is the right time. And deciding to upgrade to better vision can be a similar undertaking.

The reality is, with all of these decisions, there will be good times to take the plunge, as well as bad times. This can be down to a variety of factors – and the same is true of Laser Eye Surgery.

Ageing, disease, hormones, and genes can all affect us differently and wreak havoc with our plans, making finding the ideal time to make the change to your eyesight challenging, to say the least.

While you may have made up your mind that it is the perfect time to ditch the glasses and upgrade your vision, your body may have a completely different idea. When it comes to Laser Eye Surgery, this is often the case without our patients even knowing it.

There are a number of factors that can affect a person’s suitability for Laser Eye Surgery. So, instead of getting you all psyched up thinking about your new vision, we’re going to give you a head’s up on some of the best and worst times to have Laser Eye Surgery.

The bad times

During Pregnancy

Hormonal imbalances during pregnancy are more commonly associated with morning sickness and mood swings. But they also have a significant — albeit not so disruptive — effect on your vision.

During pregnancy, many women experience a reduction in their visual acuteness, tipping their prescriptions off balance. This often comes in the form of myopia or short-sightedness, causing blurry vision over a distance. But it can also be a shift to hyperopia or long-sightedness.

As if an unprecedented change to your vision wasn’t enough to deal with, hormone imbalances have also been known to cause dry eyes. All of this means that Laser Eye Surgery is pretty much off the cards until at least a few months after nursing when vision is once again stable.

When your eyes are still changing

While we might feel like adults when we reach 18, the fact is that our bodies often continue to develop into our teens and early twenties – and our eyes continue to grow and change along with them. Again, this means that your prescription and quality of vision can continue to fluctuate – courtesy of your beloved hormones.

One of the main prerequisites for Laser Eye Surgery is having a stable prescription. And so if you are of an age in which these changes are still happening, you will typically be unsuitable for treatment — at least temporarily.

Luckily, our hormones and body do balance out over time. So, if you’re over 18 and your vision has been stable for over a year, you should have no problem with having the procedure. Simply bring your current glasses or contact lens prescription along to a consultation to confirm you’re ready for treatment.

If you have a dry eye condition

Dry eye syndrome is becoming increasingly common – likely accelerated by our fast-paced digital lifestyles. Unfortunately, as Laser Eye Surgery has a tendency to cause a little post-op dry eye, people with the condition can often be deemed unsuitable for treatment.

Post-operative dry eye is caused by disruption to the nerves on the outer surface of the eye. This can result in a period of decreased sensitivity and reduced tear production. While this means that LASIK and older procedures are usually off the cards for patients with dry eyes, the latest innovations in Laser Eye Surgery mean that all is not lost.

ReLEx SMILE has been revolutionary in making post-op dry eye a thing of the past. This minimally-invasive ‘key-hole’ procedure can be completed in a fraction of the time of LASIK and has an equally impressive recovery time.

SMILE, therefore, makes Laser Eye Surgery a suitable option for many who thought they were unsuitable: including those with dry eyes, thinner corneas, and very high prescriptions.

The good times

When you’re at the end of your tether

Maybe you’re just getting over an infection caused by your contact lenses; maybe you’ve lost your second pair of glasses in the space of a month; or maybe, you’ve finally got around to booking that scuba diving holiday! Whatever it is, there often comes a point when glasses and contact lenses have outlived their use.

Glasses and contact lenses have, of course, improved the lives of millions over the years. But the fact is, they are only a temporary form of vision correction.

You may have dismissed Laser Eye Surgery in the past due to cost or fear. But, if you’re at the end of your tether, it might finally be time to reconsider and do some proper research on the treatment. The chances are, you’ll find it is a lot less costly and intimidating than you once thought.

Now!

There is never a better time to have Laser Eye Surgery than now. The sooner you have the surgery, the more years you have to enjoy the unique benefits it has to offer.

Just like the rest of our bodies, our eyes tend to heal and stabilise a lot faster the younger we are. That means the potential of mild side effects is even less of a concern, and the body is more effective at adapting to your new and improved vision.

Remember, though: even if you decide you are ready for Laser Eye Surgery and you think you’re an ideal candidate – just like moving house – this isn’t a decision you should rush into.

First of all, you need to find the right clinic for you. We recommend that you do your homework and book several consultations with highly-rated clinics. This can help you to scope out their credentials and experience in the particular procedure you are interested in.

You’re only given one pair of eyes, so make sure you take your time when selecting the best Laser Eye Surgery and avoid being seduced by deceptive marketing campaigns.

If you would like to find out if now is a good time for you to have Laser Eye Surgery, Book a Consultation with us. Our specialists can walk you through your options and answer any questions you have.

Alternatively, give us a call on 020 7224 1005.