Who Qualifies for LASIK Vision Care?

LASIK vision care is an important opportunity to consider if you want to improve your eyesight. LASIK is a safe laser procedure that reshapes the cornea and corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness, and some astigmatisms. If you fall into any of these categories, continue reading to learn more about who qualifies for LASIK vision care.

A successful LASIK vision care surgery is greatly influenced by whether or not the patient meets all the criteria needed to qualify. When you are a proper candidate for the treatment, you have a better likelihood of having a favorable vision outcome. Some patients never need to wear glasses again following LASIK vision care. We have provided a checklist for you to explore that can help you determine whether or not you could qualify. 

You must have good medical and eye health.

Before you receive LASIK vision care, you need to be free of any conditions that may affect healing or surgical response. If you have pink eye, severe dry eye, or any infections in your eyes, you will need to wait until these problems clear up before pursuing LASIK vision care. If you are unsure of whether or not you have any of these conditions, we can provide an examination to determine the health of your eyes. 

You should also not undergo the LASIK procedure if you are currently pregnant. Hormonal changes affect the shape of your eye and could lead to incorrect results following the procedure. Visit a few months after your child is born for another eye exam to determine if you are ready for LASIK vision care. 

Your eye structure must be compatible with the surgery.

Since LASIK vision care corrects eyesight by reshaping the cornea, your cornea must be thick enough to respond well to the surgery. Some people also have large pupils. Large pupils can create harmful or irritating side effects following the LASIK procedure. An eye exam prior to LASIK vision care can help determine if you meet this criterion. 

You must be old enough.

Before a certain age, we hesitate to perform LASIK vision care surgery on patients. Eye shape may still be changing before age 18. In most cases, we wait until patients are 18 years or older to consider the LASIK procedure; however, there are exceptions.

Your vision prescription must be reasonable.   

Prescriptions that are too high have lower success rates since more eye tissue will need to be manipulated. If we determine your prescription is not right for LASIK vision care, there are other options we will consider for you. 

When you are considering LASIK vision care, you should take into account these criteria. If you do not meet one or more of the listed qualifications above, there are other corrective procedures we can consider. In addition to this list, we will cover other signs that you should avoid LASIK eye care as necessary at your appointment. If you do qualify, we encourage you to visit to receive improved eyesight.

What Is the Right Age for Contact Lenses in Asheville?

If you are a parent, you may be wondering what the right age for contact lenses in Asheville is. We receive this question every day from parents concerned about the well-being and maturity of their child with glasses. There are a few factors we consider when determining the right age for contact lenses in Asheville. In most cases, age requirements depend on the individual patient.

Some children as young as eight years old receive prescription contact lenses. At this stage, eyes are developed to a correct shape and vision for which contact lenses are appropriate. In some cases, we encourage parents to wait a little longer before allowing their children to get contact lenses. The early pre-teen or teen years are a common age for children to begin wearing contacts. Other considerations you may want to make for your child are:

How mature is your child?
Children should be mature enough to handle the responsibility of receiving contact lenses in Asheville. Contact lenses require organization and planning. Contacts need to be cleaned regularly and kept in a safe location when they are not being worn. If contacts are not cleaned correctly, they can cause dangerous eye infections. Your child should also be able to remember to clean out the contact lenses case on occasion, as well. Children should remember to remove contact lenses when they go to bed at night. If you feel as though your child has good overall hygiene and will remember to take contact wearing as a serious responsibility, they are probably a good candidate to receive contact lenses in Asheville.

Why is your child interested in contact lenses?
Another question to consider is why your child has an interest in switching to contact lenses. If you believe it is a fleeting fad, you may not want to go to the effort it takes to receive contacts and teach your child the responsibility of wearing and caring for them. It would be a waste for your child to get contacts, only for them to then set the lenses on a shelf and continue to wear glasses every day. If your child has a good reason for being interested in contact lenses, like athletics or self-consciousness, it may be time to consider them.

Are you ready to make sure your child uses contact lenses correctly?
It may seem like an unnecessary question, but if you are wondering what the right age for contact lenses in Asheville is, you should also consider whether or not you are ready for your child to make the change. Not only do contact lenses require responsibility on the child or teen’s part, but they also require responsibility from a parent. You will have to set a good example for how to wear contacts, how to clean them, and when to take them out. As your child gets used to wearing contacts, you will need to remind them when to remove the lenses and where to keep them. You will make your child’s contact lenses wearing a success if you set a good example.

If you now think your child is mature enough and at the right age for contact lenses in Asheville, visit our office to learn more. We will schedule an appointment for you and your child to visit for an evaluation.