Yes, there is an age limit for laser eye surgery. Though the realistic and generalized age period to undergo the LASIK surgery is from 20 to 40 years, this criteria of age has been relaxed more today than before. Eventually, this age period has been expanding, as never before.
Age Range
The ideal range of age to undergo the LASIK surgery is from 20 to 40 and this upper limit has been increasing with the advancement of the technology. Though 18 years is the minimum age for LASIK recommended by the FDA, doctors usually wait until 20 years of age, since the eye prescription has to become stable.
Stretching Upper Age Limit
In fact, there is no upper limit for the LASIK laser eye surgery, as it can be performed for even aged people, only in the cases that the eyesight problem is caused exclusively because of the refraction error, but no other causes. Hence, the regular LASIK medical centres also attempt to perform the surgery, even for the people, who have more than 40 years of age.
One more important factor that the LASIK surgery can be opted by the older patients, above 40 years of age also, is Presbyopia condition. Today’s technology allows the patients to get this eyesight problem treated, as it enables the surgeons to treat Presbyopia through monovision LASIK eye surgery.
Eventually, the upper age limit is not just 40 years, but may extend to 50, 60, 70 years or even more.
Age Consideration For the Patient
Though the general age period is specified with certain limits, the upper age limit has been extended. It is worth mentioning here is that the eligibility of the LASIK surgery is not only age of the patient, but also many other factors. So, when the age is more than 40 years for a patient, it means, he or she has to undergo more specific and rigorous pre-LASIK assessment, compared to the other patients. More and in-depth analysis is mandatory to explore and discover the root cause for the respective and specific eyesight problem. Then only the laser eye surgeons determine, whether they are eligible for the LASIK eye surgery or not.
Hence, the overall suitable age is in between 20 to 40 years. And patients, who are older than 40 years are also eligible, however, only after more and in-depth pre-LASIK determination.