Yes, you can still receive laser eye surgery well into your 50s and 60s and beyond. Your eyes and vision change throughout your life however this is not an impediment to your eligibility. You do need to have a stable vision prescription for at least one year. You also must meet various eye health criteria.
While the minimum age for LASIK surgery is 18 years old, there is technically no age limit for laser vision correction. Candidacy for LASIK surgery is typically not dependent upon age, but upon the stability and health of the eye.
The one thing these surgeries cannot fix is Presbyopia as the issue has to do with the lens not the cornea. Getting laser eye surgery to correct your distance vision at age 50 could mean that in a few years your near vision begins to deteriorate, requiring the use of glasses again, but for a different purpose!
While the minimum age for LASIK surgery is 18, there is no age limit as long as your eyes are healthy and your vision is stable.
This will help you determine if your eyeglass prescription is stable before opting for surgery. Generally speaking, you can never be too old for LASIK. To be a suitable candidate, you must have good general health, a stable prescription, the correct corneal anatomy, and of course, be over 18.
While there is currently no age limit for older adults wanting LASIK surgery, there are some vision conditions affecting adults age 40 and above that can't be treated with this surgery. These conditions are: Presbyopia or blurry near vision typically occurring around age 40. Cataracts or glaucoma.
Even those over 40 or 50 years old can benefit from the procedure, which is an investment that is worth it compared to wearing glasses or contacts for the rest of their lives. LASIK after 40 can provide improved vision for a long time after the initial surgery, although it is important to have realistic expectations.
You have a thin or irregular cornea
If you have a predisposition to corneal shape irregularity, this can be made worse by laser eye surgery, and a condition called corneal ectasia may develop. This occurs infrequently and can often be treated successfully without the need for a corneal transplant.
LASIK corrects vision by reshaping the cornea. However, the loss of near vision from presbyopia is a result of loss of flexibility and elasticity of the lens of the eye, and LASIK cannot prevent the natural aging process of the lens.
The four alternatives to traditional LASIK eye surgery are LASEK, Phakic Intraocular Lens Implants, Epi-LASIK, and Refractive Lens Exchange Surgery.
According to a study that examined LASIK's permanence, only 3.5% of LASIK patients needed LASIK enhancement after 10 years. Most of the time, needing to repeat LASIK surgery after 10 years might be necessary because of an underlying condition that changes the vision over time, such as cataracts or presbyopia.
The cost of consultation fees across Australia range and can be as much as $250 each. At personalEYES, your initial LASIK assessment is completely FREE. The actual cost of laser eye surgery ranges from $2,525 to $6,200 per eye in Australia, depending on the clinic and the type of procedure.
In general, most people who have laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery achieve 20/20 vision or better, which works well for most activities. But most people still eventually need glasses for driving at night or reading as they get older.
LASIK: 25-40
Generally speaking, most LASIK eye surgeons agree on 25-40 as the ideal age range for LASIK eye surgery candidacy for a few reasons. By the age of 25, eyeglasses and contact lens prescriptions have most likely stabilized. A stable prescription is one of the hallmarks of a good LASIK candidate.
The best results of LASIK surgery will be achieved when patients' eyes are stable and when their eye prescription has not changed within at least the past two years. Special considerations must be taken in patients over 40 because this is a time in which the eyes are likely to begin to change once again.
LASIK For Patients 60 and Older
Seniors can typically have LASIK eye surgery without any restrictions. However, many factors must be considered before a senior adult can be approved. An eye condition that most commonly affects seniors is cataracts.
The truth is, having LASIK doesn't guarantee you'll never have to wear glasses or contacts again. But chances are, you may not need them for a very long time, depending on how old you are when you have your procedure done.
Blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, is an effective treatment for restoring a youthful appearance to your eyes. The procedure can help remove any excess skin that gives you a sagging appearance on your upper eyelids.
Certain conditions, such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis), immunodeficiency states (e.g., HIV) and diabetes, and some medications (e.g., retinoic acid and steroids) may prevent proper healing after a refractive procedure.
Scarring from a previous eye injury or surgery can impede the surgeon's ability to perform the operation safely. Other eye diseases that affect the cornea or infections must be resolved before you can get LASIK. In some cases, you may find that because of eye diseases or another procedure, you cannot get LASIK.
The LASIK Eye Surgery Recovery Process
Most patients see clearly within 24 hours after vision correction surgery, but others take two to five days to recover. Some patients may experience some blurred vision and fluctuations in their vision for several weeks after LASIK.
However, the bottom line is that for most people, the only long-term effect of laser eye surgery is to provide an effective and lasting answer to a host of sight problems.
It is usually best suited to someone in his early 40s, because at that age the brain is more flexible. It works especially well in patients who have been doing monovision with their contact lenses because they have already adjusted to that way of seeing.
During the surgery, patients may feel some pressure and discomfort, but not pain. The eyelids are held open with a special tool, which might feel strange but is not painful. The excimer laser used in LASIK is cool, precise, and guided by a computer, ensuring no discomfort during the cornea reshaping process.
Modern laser systems are safe and effective
Provided the eye surface health is good, there is no age limit on when laser vision correction can be performed successfully, and we often use it to fine-tune the results of RLE.