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Laser vision correction screening: who is the ideal candidate for LASIK eye surgery?
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An anterior segment OCT scan of the eyes microscopic corneal structure. PVI
Have you wondered what makes someone an ideal candidate for LASIK? LASIK is a common type of eye surgery, where a surgeon uses a laser to reshape the cornea so that it can focus images clearly on the retina, helping patients see well without glasses and contact lenses. Accurate screening is critical to making sure that LASIK will result in excellent long-term vision outcome.
Basic screening – these are essential components of the screening process:
• Prescription – must be within a certain range to be safely corrected with laser.
• Corneal thickness – needs to be adequate, and typically above 500 microns, to undergo LASIK. With the advent of all-laser LASIK, or IntraLASIK, thinner corneas can now be corrected.
• Corneal mapping – reveals the shape of the cornea. Cornea needs to be smooth and symmetric for LASIK. If the corneal shape is uneven, bumpy, or irregular, other procedures, such as PRK or ICL lens implants, will be better options.
• Tear break up time and Schirmer’s test – determine the health of the tear film. If inadequate, tear film can be treated before LASIK to improve postoperative recovery.
• Complete eye exam – will help the surgeon assess the health of the eyes and rule out conditions, such as cataracts, for example, that may compromise LASIK results.
• Discussion of options, expectations, outcomes, and potential risks and side effects – open discussion needs to be carried out between you and your doctor to make sure that you know what kind of results you can expect, and that you have a realistic idea of potential side effects, and your risk factors for those side effects, based on your particular situation.
Advanced screening – these sophisticated screening methods, in addition to the basic ones, increase precision of the screening process and improve the likelihood of identifying ideal LASIK candidates:
• Corneal CT scan (anterior segment OCT) – allows for imaging of microscopic corneal structures to assess their health.
• Corneal elasticity and hysteris (Ocular Response Analyzer) – measures corneal strength and possibly predicts how strong it will remain after surgery
• Tear film osmolarity – assesses the quality of the tear film with great sensitivity
• Binocular vision testing – determines how well your eyes work together, especially during reading. This may predict whether or not you may need to do eye muscle exercises after your LASIK to optimize your vision.
Do’s and don’ts of getting the most out of your LASIK screening consultation:
• Do select a vision correction facility that does both basic and advanced screening – make sure that everything is done to determine whether you are an ideal candidate for LASIK before undergoing the procedure.
• Do come prepared with questions – this will optimize the time you spend with your doctor.
• Do be open with your doctor – if you had other consultations or other opinions, share them with your doctor. The doctors often know the screening process, the technology, and qualifications of other surgeons and may be interested to see how their assessment compares to that of others. If you get conflicting opinions, share them with your doctor and you may be surprised how helpful he or she may be in clarifying everything for you.
• Don’t be disappointed if you are not an ideal LASIK candidate – many excellent vision correction options exist to help you see great without glasses and contacts. The best vision correction surgery is the one that’s best for you.
Pacific Vision Institute www.pacificvision.org
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons www.ascrs.org
American Academy of Ophthalmology www.aao.org
Ocular Response Analyzer www.ocularresponseanalyzer.com
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