LASIK eye surgery is an appealing option for many people with less-than-perfect vision, but this procedure is not right for everyone. Your age, health and certain medical conditions can all affect your candidacy for this surgery. For example, while many children and teens want LASIK, the procedure is not FDA-approved for anyone under the age of 18. In fact, most doctors recommend that patients wait until they are at least 21 to have any type of laser vision correction.

Top Reasons to Wait to Have Surgery

Why should you wait until you are at least 18 to have LASIK eye surgery? The biggest reason to wait is that vision typically changes considerable during the teen years and even into early adulthood. If you were to have surgery and then experience major changes in your vision, your eyesight may decline significantly. While a doctor might be able to correct this problem in some cases, other patients may end up once again wearing corrective glasses or contacts.

Another important reason to wait is that it gives you a chance to consider your options. LASIK is only one of the many techniques that can be used to fix or improve vision. By researching your options carefully and giving yourself time to decide which is right for your needs, you'll be able to achieve a much more satisfying result.

The Best Age to Have Surgery

While there is not necessarily an ideal age to have LASIK eye surgery, research has found that certain age groups stand to benefit tremendously from this procedure. Individuals over the age of 40 often experience a progressive decline in vision. While these changes in eyesight present challenges for both patients and surgeons, experts suggest that people in their 40s, 50s and 60s can achieve good results with laser eye surgery as long as they have realistic goals and expectations.

Are You Too Old for LASIK?

Another concern that many people have is that they may be too old to have a LASIK procedure. In reality, there is no "maximum age" for this surgery. However, an eye care professional must first look at your overall well being and the health of your eyes before deciding if you are a good candidate for laser eye correction. Age-related corneal thinning, cataracts and glaucoma may make it difficult or impossible to perform LASIK eye surgery, so always receive a thorough assessment from a eye doctor before determining if this surgery is right for you.