Laser Surgery In Houston: Is It Right For You?

The number of patients undergoing LASIK surgery in the United States, since it was first introduced in 1995, is about 12 million. Although LASIK practitioners say that statistics show 95% satisfaction rates, the number of people who are unhappy with the outcome is steadily increasing. The main reason not knowing who is a good candidate for this procedure. If you are thinking of getting corrective laser surgery in Houston, it is important that you first get yourself examined by your ophthalmologist and find out whether this procedure is suitable for you. We will discuss important factors that will help you determine whether you are a good candidate for corrective eye laser surgery in Houston.

Laser Surgery Houston: Are You a Good Candidate?
Here are some of the most important things you need to take into consideration when determining if you are a good candidate for corrective eye laser surgery in Houston.

* You must be of legal age: By law, some corrective laser eye surgery procedures require a person to be a minimum of 18 years of age, while others require them to be 21. However, exceptions are sometimes made for treatment of younger patients.

* You must have healthy eyes: Your eyes should be healthy prior to the laser surgery. If you are suffering from a condition that may affect the way your eyes respond to the procedure or heal after the surgery, you should wait until the condition improves. Examples of such conditions include conjunctivitis, chronic dry eyes and any other type of eye injury. Certain conditions such as uncontrolled glaucoma, keratoconus and cataracts may, however, disqualify you completely.

* You should have stable eyesight: Before you opt for corrective laser surgery in Houston, you need to make sure that your vision has been stable for at least one year prior to the procedure. Many young adults often experience changes in their vision during their teenage years. Eyesight generally stabilizes some time in adult's twenties. Younger patients are not suitable candidates till their eyesight stabilizes. Consult your ophthalmologist or optometrist to find out whether your eyesight is stable.

* You should not have any auto-immune or degenerative diseases: Laser surgery results can turn out to be unsatisfactory if your body has difficulty healing. LASIK surgeons have varying opinions regarding the diseases that should be considered automatic disqualifiers and those that pose acceptable risks. Some examples of such diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome,type 1diabetes and AIDS.

* You should not be pregnant: During pregnancy, hormonal changes cause variations in the body's fluid levels, which can lead to changes in vision. The procedure should not be carried out until the hormones and eyesight have normalized, so it might take some months. Also, after surgery, certain medications given to promote healing might be risky for your child.

Keep these things in mind when deciding whether you should opt for corrective laser eye surgery.