CAN LASIK CORRECT HIGH PRESCRIPTIONS?
Many eye care patients think that they are not candidates for LASIK because they have high prescriptions. In the past, this was a real problem—LASIK in its early years was not well equipped to help those with severely restricted vision. However, as technology has improved, this limitation has been overcome. With modern procedures, surgeons are able to correct prescriptions as high as -12.00 D. This makes almost everyone a candidate for LASIK, even those with extremely high prescriptions.
There are some conditions that may restrict patients from being candidates for LASIK, but these are rare and can be detected by an eye care professional during a pre-LASIK exam. Patients who were told that they could not undergo LASIK in the past are often excellent candidates now. The only way to know if you are a candidate for LASIK is to get a free consultation and discuss any preexisting eye conditions with an eye care professional.
In fact, patients with severe vision problems are often the best candidates for LASIK. For some conditions, particularly astigmatism, LASIK can actually correct the problem better than any contacts or glasses. Patients with severe astigmatism will usually have better vision after LASIK than they did with corrective lenses before their procedures.
Additionally, the inconveniences of poor vision are the worst for those with high prescriptions, so the improvement of LASIK is even greater. These patients often need to use special glasses or contacts. Not all models of glasses, particularly prescription sunglasses, are available for the highest prescriptions. While a person with moderate vision may be able to get around without their glasses at times, the high-prescription patient is extremely reliant on corrective lenses. For this type of patient, the LASIK procedure is exceptionally freeing and empowering.
If you have a high prescription, you may still be a candidate for LASIK. Even if you’ve been told before that your prescription was too high, come in for a free consultation. With the latest technology, you are probably a great candidate!