Laser Eye Surgery Eligibility

Minimum 18 years of age

Laser eye surgery permanently changes the shape of your cornea (the front window of your eye), therefore it is important that your eyes have finished maturing to ensure that your spectacle prescription is stable. Having a stable prescription at the time of surgery allows you to enjoy good, stable vision for much longer after surgery. 

To draw an analogy with your glasses; in theory, if your prescription doesn’t change, you could wear your same pair of glasses for as long as it doesn’t break, scratch or wear down. This same concept applies with laser eye surgery. Once your prescription has been etched on your eyes, the great vision you enjoy immediately after surgery will last as long as your eyes don’t change. Hence, the recommended minimum age for laser eye surgery is 18 years old as this is when most people will have achieved stabilisation of eye growth.

Stable prescription for at least 12 months

To be a good candidate for laser eye surgery, you must have a stable prescription for at least 12 months prior to surgery. Having a stable prescription tells us that your eye has stopped changing, and this will give you much better long-term outcomes.

Most people with low refractive errors (prescription) will achieve stabilisation by their late teens or early 20s. People with high myopia (short-sightedness) may stabilise between the ages of 20 to 30 years old. This is why you must be at least 18 years of age or older to be eligible for laser eye surgery.

Have healthy eyes

The overall health of your eyes and any history of previous eye surgeries may affect your suitability for laser eye surgery. More often than not, if you are found not to be suitable for laser eye surgery, it does not mean that you can’t have surgery at all. Your ocular health and visual requirements will be thoroughly discussed with you to determine a treatment plan that is right for you. Depending on your age, spectacle prescription and general eye health, implantable collamer lenses, refractive lens exchange, and cataract surgery are some of the common alternatives to laser eye surgery. A thorough discussion with your surgeon will help you understand these alternatives and the procedure that is best for you. 

Good general health

You may not be suitable for laser eye surgery if you have certain health conditions or autoimmune disorders. The implications of your general health and how it affects your suitability for laser eye surgery will be discussed in detail with you.

Not pregnant or breastfeeding

Pregnant or breastfeeding women are not suitable for laser eye surgery due to significant hormonal changes experienced during this time, which may cause changes to your spectacle prescription. We recommend surgery a minimum of three months after pregnancy or cessation of breastfeeding to ensure that your vision has stabilised.