Though laser eye surgery is suitable for almost anyone within certain age limitation, ophthalmologists consider some important factors of the potential laser eye surgery patients, in terms of no complications arising post the laser surgery.
Technical Factors
Apart from the general prescriptions and recommendations, ophthalmologists also look for some technical factors to be satisfied in order to obtain better vision results and also to reduce the complications.
- Sphere Reading – Both the right eye and left eye sphere power reading are important to consider.
- Cylinder Reading – Both the right eye and left eye cylinder power reading are considered.
- Reading Addition – Bothe right and left eyes are considered, apart from the sphere and cylinder readings.
- Age – Though adult age is the minimum pre-requisite for the laser eye surgery, based on the age of the patient, the ophthalmologists predict the results of the surgery.
While sphere and cylindrical readings are considered, plus and minus signs show the indication or severity of the eye vision problem. Minus sign indicates short sight and so plus sign indicates long sighted. Apart from these two signs, CYL indicates the condition of astigmatism. The term axis in this context shows the angle of astigmatism, however, it is not any condition that indicates suitability of the patient to the surgery.
Prescription Table
Most of the ophthalmologists go with the following readings of short sight, long sight and astigmatism.
Short-Sight
Short sight, when exist within the range of -1 to -10, the person is eligible for the laser eye surgery. On the other hand, if the reading is in between -3 to -23, then lens implants are preferred.
Long-Sight
When the long sight is concerned, the readings are a bit different from the short sight. For long sight the readings are preferred from +1 to +6, for laser eye surgery. And in case the reading is from +3 to +11, lens implants are preferred mostly.
Astigmatism
The condition of astigmatism with the readings in between 1 to 5, shows indication of the laser eye surgery suitability. On the other hand, the values in between 3 to 8 indicate lens implants preference.
When the prescription indicates +1to +2, it is suitable for the monovision laser eye surgery.
Apart from these conditions, ophthalmologists also consider the following conditions to cater special and peculiar precautions before, during and after the surgery.
- Increased eye pressure internally that has to be maintained under control
- Blepharitis, one kind of eye infection that needs to be cleared for the surgery
- Diabetes, which needs to be under control during the surgery
- Epilepsy or dry eye condition to be taken care well from right after the surgery
- Pupils in larger size that need to be corrected
- Prescription to be lower, lesser than 0.75 with no astigmatism
- Pregnancy or breast feeding condition, which demand some more time to give before the surgery
The above are the conditions, where one can check the suitability of the laser eye surgery, in most of the conditions. However, one’s ophthalmologist is the best person to decide finally, about whether one is suitable for the laser eye surgery or not.