At What Age Should I Get LASIK?

LASIK is most appropriate for patients between the ages of 18 and 40, although age 40 is not an absolute limit. Because of the FDA’s approval for LASIK for those over 18 years old, pediatric LASIK is considered an "off-label" use and is reserved for cases where the child's sight is seriously threatened.

People's natural eye lenses begin losing their flexibility and around age 40 often develop a noticeable decrease in their vision due to presbyopia, the inability of the lens to flex and focus sufficiently. LASIK will not correct presbyopia, so, other procedures should be considered to correct this condition.

Around age 60 people begin developing cataracts. LASIK, again, is not a solution for cataracts, as it can't get rid of the cataract. But lens replacement can correct both the cataract and the refractive error. If older patients' lenses are clear and healthy, they may have the option to choose between refractive lens exchange or RLE (lens replacement) and one of the refractive corrective procedures, such as LASIK. This would be a case where being over age 40 is not a limitation

Eye stability is more important than age, so even if you are over 18, if your vision isn’t stable, your refractive error is very large, or your corneas are very thin, LASIK would not be recommended. There are other procedures that are more appropriate to correct these aberrations.

No matter what your age, if your vision isn't perfect, please contact Dr. Harvey Carter at the Carter Eye Center in Dallas.