Posted by: Manhattan LASIK Center

When considering LASIK to permanently correct vision, one of the first questions many people ask is, “What’s the right age to have it done?” It is an important question to ask, as age plays a significant role in determining if you are a good candidate for the procedure.

Wondering whether you are too young or too old to correct your vision with LASIK? Keep reading to learn more about the ideal age for LASIK.

What is the Minimum Age for LASIK?

The FDA has approved LASIK for patients who are 18 years and older. However, being 18 does not automatically make you a good candidate for the procedure.

Hormonal changes during puberty can affect the stability of your vision prescription. It is not uncommon for young adults to experience frequent changes in their vision into their late teens and early twenties.

If your vision is corrected with LASIK before your eye prescription has stabilized, it can affect the long-lasting results of the procedure. If your vision changes after LASIK, you may need to return to wearing glasses or contact lenses to maintain clear vision.

To ensure you achieve the best results, most eye doctors recommend that you wait to get LASIK until your vision prescription has been stable for at least one to two years. Some would advise patients to wait until they are 21 before seriously considering LASIK.

Is There an Age Limit for LASIK?

While there is no official age limit for LASIK, it is generally not recommended for patients who are over 40, the age at which many people start to experience age-related changes to their vision, including presbyopia.

Presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness, is caused by the hardening of the lens of the eye and the weakening of the muscles that surround the lens and help it to focus. It impacts the ability of the eyes to focus at near distance, making tasks like reading a book or preparing food difficult without the assistance of a pair of magnifying reading glasses.

If you already have presbyopia, it can’t be corrected with LASIK because it is caused by the lens of the eye and not the shape of the cornea. If you develop the condition after LASIK, it can impact the quality and longevity of the results.

Other common age-related eye conditions can also limit your candidacy for LASIK. Older adults are more likely to develop cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, all of which can make LASIK less effective at correcting vision and increase the risk of serious complications.

When Is The Best Time to Get LASIK?

Most eye care providers think the best time to get LASIK is when a person is in their twenties or thirties. Young adults past puberty are most likely to have stable eye prescriptions and healthy eyes, two important qualifications for LASIK candidacy.

Younger adults are more likely to have a quicker and smoother recovery from LASIK, with a lower risk of side effects or complications. They often achieve the best results and are most satisfied with the outcome of their LASIK procedure.

Having LASIK in early adulthood can enable patients to maximize the benefits of the procedure and enjoy clear, glasses-free vision for many years. It can give them freedom from glasses or contact lenses while they build their careers, travel the world, or start a family.

Can You Get LASIK After 50?

It’s possible to get LASIK after 50, as long as you meet the candidacy requirements. There is no set age limit for LASIK as long as you are a good candidate.

If your vision has been affected by presbyopia, you may be able to improve your vision with monovision LASIK, which corrects a person’s dominant eye for distance, while leaving the other eye slightly nearsighted for reading vision. The success of monovision LASIK depends on whether a patient can adapt to having different vision in each eye.

Older patients are more likely to have an age-related eye condition that makes LASIK inadvisable. Adults over 50 who want to correct their vision may want to consider other procedures, such as refractive lens exchange.

Who is a Good Candidate for LASIK?

Age is just one of the factors that can affect a person’s candidacy for LASIK. Eye doctors also need to consider these additional factors when determining a person’s candidacy for LASIK:

  • A stable eye prescription for at least a year
  • An eye prescription that falls within a specific range
  • Cornea thickness
  • Eye health
  • Overall health
  • Realistic expectations

You are unlikely to be considered a good candidate for LASIK if you have an unstable eye prescription, severe refractive error, thin corneas, untreated dry eye, an existing eye condition, or certain chronic health conditions, such as diabetes.

Bottom line: Age is an important consideration, but not the only consideration, when determining whether LASIK is the best procedure for correcting your eyesight and realizing visual freedom. The FDA requires that you be at least 18 to undergo LASIK, but waiting until you are in your twenties and thirties can help you achieve optimal, lasting results.

The best way to determine if LASIK is right for you is to schedule a consultation at Manhattan LASIK Center in Manhattan, NY, today. We can assess all the factors that determine LASIK candidacy to ensure it is the best way for you to permanently correct your vision.