Could Dry Eyes Stand In The Way of Getting LASIK?
If you’re looking to change your vision for the better, LASIK is a great place to start. LASIK is a procedure that corrects refractive errors.
This includes nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The best part is that the procedure has incredibly high rates of satisfaction with patients! Over 96% of patients report satisfaction with their results.
Most patients end up with 20/20 vision or better. It’s important to realize that LASIK is not for everyone.
To be a good LASIK candidate, you first need to schedule a LASIK consultation at Kovach Eye Institute. During your consultation, you’ll learn all about the procedure.
You’ll also undergo a series of tests to ensure that the surgery is safe for you. Keep reading to find out if having dry eyes could stand in the way of getting LASIK!
Candidacy Requirements
Part of the reason LASIK is so successful is because you have to be a good candidate to get the procedure. If you don’t qualify, LASIK is not right for you and you shouldn’t have it. Some of the requirements are:
You must be at least 18 years of age
Your eyes will not fully develop until you are an adult. Most surgeons will recommend that you wait until you are in your late twenties before you have LASIK.
You must have stable vision
Even if you are an adult, your eyesight may still fluctuate. This can be due to any number of reasons, including hormones from pregnancy.
You must have corneas that are the right thickness
A critical component of LASIK is removing corneal tissue to correct refractive errors.
If your corneas are too thin, the surgeon will not have enough tissue to work with.
You cannot have any autoimmune conditions or diseases
These may make it more difficult to recover after LASIK. This includes HIV, Sjogren’s syndrome, and others.
You must have healthy eyes
This includes minor ailments like dry eye.
Dry Eye and LASIK
Dry eye is a common problem that can make you a bad candidate for LASIK. During LASIK, nerves in the cornea are severed. This typically leads to a slower tear response time.
For many patients, the most common side effect after LASIK is having dry eyes. This usually fixes itself and is temporary.
The outcome is much worse if you already have problems with dry eye before you have LASIK.
Luckily, dry eye can be treated quite easily in most cases. The first place to start is determining what is causing your dry eye. The issue is going to be how many tears you are producing, what is the quality of your tears, or a combination of the two.
Treating Dry Eyes
If you are having trouble producing tears, doctors may try to address the problem with tear stimulating drugs, or with punctal plugs that block tears from draining. If your tears are of poor quality, doctors may suggest a change in diet or gland expression therapy.
This helps unblock oil-producing glands necessary for healthy tear production. Lifestyle changes like limiting screen use and using eye protection when appropriate can also be very effective.
If you are not a good LASIK candidate for any reason, don’t despair. There are many excellent alternatives to LASIK that can provide you with vision that is just as clear.
Wondering if LASIK could be right for you? Find out once and for all by scheduling your LASIK consultation at Kovach Eye Institute in South Barrington, IL today!
