A: There are several considerations with this question. First, you must ask yourself, “Why do I want LASIK?” LASIK decreases or eliminates your dependence on glasses and/or contact lenses. An ideal candidate is someone who requires good uncorrected vision for their job (law enforcement or firefighting) or their other daily activities or hobbies. If your glasses or contact lenses interfere with your sports and recreation, for example, swimming, scuba diving, snow skiing or rock climbing, you may also be a good candidate. Patients also have LASIK because of decreased tolerance for wearing contact lenses. Many patients decide to have LASIK because they are tired of the hassle or the ongoing expense of contact lenses. This is a very common and legitimate reason for having LASIK, but be sure of your motivations and discuss this with your surgeon prior to surgery.
The question “Am I a candidate…?” involves your refractive correction (the strength of your glasses or contact lenses) and the thickness, shape and health of your cornea. LASIK corrects nearsightedness up to 14.00 diopters, farsightedness up to 6 diopters and astigmatism up to 6 diopters. For those with higher degrees of refractive error, there may be newer surgical treatments available which may be a better option for a given individual which Dr. Mills will be happy to explain at the time of your consultation. The best way to tell if you are a candidate is to schedule a consultation with Eye Care Professionals at (775) 322-1000 and bring your old glasses or contact lens prescription for our inspection.
