Are you tired of readjusting your glasses 10 times in one hour? Are you frustrated with your contacts causing your eyes to be red and itchy? Then you might start to consider laser eye surgery. LASIK is the safe, painless alternative to a lifetime of annoying corrective eyewear.
Now, you might be wondering do I even qualify for LASIK? While a variety of factors affect your candidacy for LASIK, looking at your vision prescription is a great place to start.
How is Eyeglass Prescription Measured Before LASIK?
It’s a common belief that that visual acuity measurements — such as having less than 20/20 vision — determines if you’re qualified for LASIK or not. However, these measurements only determine your sharpness of vision. For example, 20/20 is considered normal visual acuity with optimal visual sharpness. So, when we’re determining your candidacy for LASIK, we also take into consideration your eyes’ prescription.
Your prescription, or refractive error, is measured in units called “diopters”. This unit of measurement is a representation of focal length measured in meters and denotes the strength of your lens.
“Perfect” vision is 0.00 diopters, so the farther away from 0 your prescription is, the worse your eyesight.
Diopters are often abbreviated as “D.” A (+) sign in front of your diopter reading means that you are farsighted and a (-) sign is an indication that you are nearsighted.
What Refractive Errors Can LASIK Fix?
The different types of refractive errors that we can correct with our advanced LASIK procedure are nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
Nearsightedness (myopia) is when your eyes can focus on close objects clearly, but not objects that are farther away. The opposite is true for farsightedness (hyperopia), where nearby objects appear blurry. Astigmatism is an imperfection in the curvature of the eye that causes vision to be unclear.
We measure your prescription in diopters to let us know how strong your vision is. As a general rule, with cutting-edge laser technology like the equipment our team uses, LASIK has the ability to treat:
- Nearsightedness up to -12.00 diopters
- Astigmatism up to 6 diopters
- Farsightedness up to +6.00 diopters
Am I A Good Candidate for LASIK Surgery?
Aside from having your refractive error fall within the treatable range, you need to have a stable vision prescription for over one year. For this reason, we recommend that patients wait until their mid-20s to get LASIK. This is when your eyes are less likely to undergo significant prescription changes that could lessen the effectiveness of laser eye surgery.
The Prescription You Need for Laser Eye Surgery
In order to qualify for LASIK, your eyes must meet certain requirements.
The average refractive prescription that qualifies for laser eye surgery is:
- Nearsighted ness up to -8.0 diopters
- Astigmatism up to -3.0 diopters
- Nearsightedness with astigmatism up to -9.0 diopters
This may vary on a case-by-case basis, however, and a LASIK evaluation is necessary to assess your candidacy for the procedure.
How Does Cornea Shape Affect LASIK Surgery?
LASIK eye surgery works by gently reshaping your cornea with a laser. This means the shape and size of your cornea can determine whether laser vision correction can fix your prescription. Our surgeons will measure the thickness of your cornea to see if you have enough tissue for LASIK to be effective.
Can I Get LASIK if I Have Vision Problems?
When you meet with our LASIK surgeon, be sure to discuss any current vision and eye health problems you’re experiencing. This includes seeing glares and halos or dealing with symptoms of dry eye. Our doctor will look at your overall eye health to determine if laser eye surgery can help you experience life with clearer vision.
How Much Does LASIK Cost?
The cost of your LASIK surgery depends on several factors, including your prescription strength, who you choose to perform your surgery, and the specifics of your LASIK procedure. During your consultation, we can discuss your LASIK cost and go over our flexible and affordable financing options.
About Sambursky Laser Eye Center
Led by Dr. Daniel Sambursky, our team at Sambursky Laser Eye Center has completed over 30,000 successful LASIK surgeries. Dr. Sambursky has the skills and expertise to help you feel comfortable and informed throughout your laser vision correction journey.
Schedule a consultation with us today and get ready for a clearer future.
