When you search online for whether LASIK surgery is recommended for seniors, typically adults over the age of 55, you will find many different—and conflicting—opinions. The reality is that an individual’s candidacy for LASIK at any age will be unique and dependent upon that individual’s personal medical history and current vision prescriptions. However, there are some considerations to keep in mind when considering LASIK surgery for seniors.

• • There is no specific age range for a LASIK candidate. A person’s age certainly influences an individual’s candidacy for LASIK, but there is not a hard rule that someone over a certain age can no longer achieve positive results from LASIK. Our best advice for a senior who is interested in LASIK is to speak to their eye doctor before ruling it out completely. Your eye doctor and prospective LASIK surgeon will work together to find the best possible vision result for your unique needs, whether or not that includes laser eye surgery.

 

• • Aging eyes have unique problems. This is one of the primary concerns for older individuals considering LASIK. Many seniors, for example, suffer from dry eyes. Dry eyes can slow the healing process from laser eye surgery and make the recovery more difficult. A person who suffers from a dry eye condition at any age is not an ideal LASIK candidate.

 

• Cataract surgery can negate the need for LASIK. Another unique problem of aging eyes is cataracts, when the eye’s lens becomes clouded, resulting in blurred vision. At age 60, a person’s risk for cataracts increases, as aging can change the tissue of your eye’s lens. This condition can be treated by cataract surgery, which removes the lens of your eye and replaces it, usually with an artificial lens. Can you have LASIK after a cataract surgery? Yes, if minor refractive errors remain after your cataract surgery. However, this is not very common.

While many seniors are not good candidates for LASIK, often due to the issues noted above, there are exceptions. For example, a 70 year old individual with no cataracts and no problems with dry eyes may be a stronger candidate for LASIK than an individual in their twenties or thirties. Again, it depends on the candidate’s individual needs and eye health.

Are you a senior who is interested in LASIK, but unsure if you are a candidate? Call the team at LASIK Vision Centers of Cleveland today to schedule a consultation. We look forward to speaking with you and discussing whether you are a strong candidate for LASIK.