Who May Not Be Suited For LASIK Surgery
 

LASIK surgery, used to correct vision problems that cause a need for glasses and contacts, has been a great option for many people. LASIK is not, however, for everyone. Due to the nature of the surgery there are some people who should not have LASIK surgery. For some people the risk of damage to the eye is too great. For others it may just not be the best choice.

LASIK may not be the best choice for someone who is wanting perfect vision. While many times LASIK does provide wonderful results there is no guarantee what the results will be. A person may still have to wear glasses or contacts even after the surgery.

LASIK is not usually covered by insurance, so financially speaking, LASIK may not be a good option. A person should look into to financing options to see if they can afford LASIK. Many surgeons offer great financing options, so do not immediately give up if you think you can not afford it.

Health wise, LASIK is not a good choice for the following:

People younger than 25 - this is because hormone fluctuations can effect the surgery
People with diabetes - this disease can effect the eye and the hormones
Women who breastfeeding or pregnant- again due to hormones
People on certain medications - some medications can effect vision
People with autoimmune diseases - this can effect healing and lead to infection or complications
People who are active in sports activities - the possibility of injury to the eye could result in severe damage

If you fall into any of these categories you should let your surgeon know. It is very important that you make sure you can get the surgery without adverse effects. The goal is good vision, but if you have a health condition or other risk factor then you could end up unsatisfied in the end.

Selkin LAser Center

Who may not be suited
 

What medicines? I am not having trouble with dry eyes (except with contacts--just can't wear them). would going off the medicine for awhile help. Any of these cause problems? Prozac, Wellbutrin, Adderall, Xanax SR, and birth control pills to control acne (I am 47. life is not fair)
Also, my grandmother has macular degeneration, and I wonder if anyone is looking down the road at things like....do lasers sculpting your cornea lead to more cataracts, etc.

Thanks for your information

Greta,

The main medications that are contraindicated are:

amiodarone - heart rhythm med
accutane - acne med
triptan family - migraine med

These medications are covered in more detail in the Contraindications section of our guide under "Am I a Candidate?"

However, we cannot give medical advice on your specific situation. Your surgeon should review your medications at the time of your evaluation.

To our knowledge, there is no evidence that laser vision correction influences the likelihood of macular degeneration or cataracts.

Thank You for Ur article. It's very helpful in our eye. And i hope many people helped by his/her eye surgery. tnx agin