What Age is Considered Too Old or Too Young for LASIK?

< Back to All Posts

Key Takeaways

There are several factors that determine a patient’s candidacy for LASIK vision correction.

Age is a critical factor. The FDA recognizes age 18 as the time in which laser surgery may be performed. However, everyone develops at a different age and physical growth is variable based on genetics. Our visual prescription continues to change into early adulthood before it stabilizes. In order to have LASIK surgery, a patient must have a stable visual prescription for at least two years before undergoing laser vision correction. So, some may have stable vision as early as age 18, or later.

Around the age of 40, the eyes begin to change again. As a result of the natural aging process, the natural lens in the eye becomes more rigid, making it difficult to read or focus at a close range and causing eye strain. This condition is called presbyopia. A procedure that can help reduce the need for glasses is monovision LASIK. For this procedure, the dominant eye is corrected for distance vision, while the nondominant eye is treated for near vision, thereby creating monocular or monovision.

Another period of change with our eyes, occurs around the age of 60. This is when cataracts typically develop. If a patient has cataracts, this must first be addressed before considering LASIK. Cataracts have many causes and can appear earlier or later than age 60. Cataracts are inevitable and normal, resulting in the calcification of the natural eye lens, and leading to cloudy, blurred vision. When the patient complains of blurred vision affecting his/her daily activities, then the cataract has reached a mature stage ready for extraction. Cataract surgery entails removing the calcified natural lens and replacing it with a lens implant, depending on the patient’s life style. Technology has come a long way and now lens implants provide near, distance and intermediate vision, even eliminating the need for glasses afterwards. Dr. Iskander specializes in refractive eye surgery with LASIK and cataracts. This means, he is experienced in eliminating a patient’s dependency on glasses after LASIK and cataract removal. His fellowship-training, state-of-the-art diagnostics and surgical techniques have resulted in thousands of successful surgical outcomes.

Other factors to consider, other than age, for LASIK candidacy include:

  • Moderate to prominent corneal thickness
  • Absence or dormancy of autoimmune disorders such as Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus
  • Absence of Keratoconus or Fuchs Dystrophy
  • Non-pregnant or non-nursing mothers due to fluctuating hormones that affect vision
  • Absence or controlled chronic dry eye disease

Call San Antonio Eye Specialists at (210) 822-9800 for your “no gimmicks” complimentary LASIK prescreen to discuss your visual options with Fellowship-trained Refractive Surgeon and Board-Certified Ophthalmologist Dr. Iskander. He will personally customize a treatment plan unique to your eyes.

Frequently Asked Questions