How Likely Am I to be Suitable for Laser Eye Surgery?

If you are interested in the potential of Laser Eye Surgery, one of the first questions you might ask yourself is: “Will I be suitable?”

This is also the first question we aim to answer for every patient that comes to us looking for a solution to their refractive error.

As you probably know, everybody’s eyes are different. The shape of the eyes themselves, the size of our pupils, and the curvature of the cornea all play a role in suitability for Laser Eye Surgery. Add age, health, and prescription into the mix and it can be hard to know whether you are eligible for treatment.

That’s where our consultations come in. During your appointment, we will conduct a number of tests designed to determine the extent and stability of your prescription, the general structure and health of your eyes and whether you have any eye or other health conditions that may affect your suitability.

Nonetheless, you will be pleased to know that, at London Vision Clinic, we are able to treat around 98% of patients who contact us. This is partly thanks to the world-renowned expertise of our surgeons and our access to state-of-the-art Laser Eye Surgery technology.

While a thorough consultation is required to accurately determine your suitability, there are a few rules of thumb. For example, you are more likely to be suitable for Laser Eye Surgery if:

Your Prescription is Between -14.00D and +7.25D… and up to -6.00 cyl

These numbers should be used as a guide only, as there are exceptions to this rule. Even if your prescription falls well within this range, other factors relating to your ocular anatomy and visual quality can still affect your suitability.

On the other hand, if you have a higher prescription than this, it may still be worth booking a consultation as you may still be eligible. In some cases, a partial correction may be possible (significantly reducing your prescription), if a full correction is not.

As mentioned above, our surgeons are able to treat the vast majority of people who come to see us – even if they have been turned away by other clinics. This is possible due to our use of the most sophisticated measurement tools, such as the Artemis Insight 100, which was co-invented by our very own Professor Dan Reinstein. This incredibly accurate corneal scanner cannot be found at any other clinic in the UK and so, we are able to treat much higher prescriptions than the “norm”.

You Are Over 18

People below the age of 18 are still experiencing physical changes and developments – including in their eyes. For this reason, we are unable to treat patients below this age as their prescription may not have stabilised. In order to be suitable for Laser Eye Surgery, our patients must have had a stable prescription for at least one year before their treatment.

Unfortunately, this means that people under the age of 18 will have to stick to glasses or contact lenses for now. On the bright side, at least you will have plenty of time to decide whether Laser Eye Surgery is the right option for you!

At the other end of the age question is this: “Can I be too old for Laser Eye Surgery?” – the simple answer to this is: No!

There is no upper age limit for Laser Eye Surgery. In fact, at London Vision Clinic, not only can we treat older patients for long-sightedness, short-sightedness, and astigmatism, but we are also able to offer a pioneering treatment for presbyopia (ageing eyes) – PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision.

This means that our patients can confidently get rid of those pesky reading glasses at virtually any age! PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision is a popular alternative to the much more risky and invasive option of going inside the eye and replacing the natural lens with a plastic one (this is called RLE – or Refractive Lens Exchange).

You Don’t Suffer from Certain Conditions

Certain conditions and eye disorders, such as uncontrolled diabetes and keratoconus can affect your suitability for Laser Eye Surgery. Other health conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and high blood pressure, will need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis in order to understand how they may affect your suitability.

A number of other eye conditions may – depending on their severity – make you unsuitable for treatment. You can find more information on which conditions may affect your suitability, here.

The only way to be certain whether you’re suitable for Laser Eye Surgery is to have a consultation. Get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation online today.