4 Signs You're a Good Candidate for Laser Eye Surgery
Over 3.4 million Americans over 40 suffer from vision issues but for some people, there can be a solution. Laser eye surgery can help manage different eye problems, but not everybody can take advantage of this type of procedure.
If you live in the Pelham Gardens section of the Bronx, New York, and you’re struggling with eye conditions that may need laser eye treatment, the team of specialists at Bronx Eye Associates can help. Here, we explore the eye conditions that may necessitate laser eye surgery and what symptoms it can and cannot help.
Eye problems that need laser treatment
Laser eye surgery refers to several different procedures of eye treatment that use focused light to correct problems with your eyes including LASIK, SMILE, PRK, LASEK, TransPRK, and others. These procedures can help with conditions like:
- Refractive corrections, including nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), presbyopia, and astigmatism
- Diabetic retinopathy, where high blood sugar causes damage to your retina
- Diabetic macular edema, where the macula part of your retina swells
- Glaucoma, where the optic nerve is damaged often due to high intraocular pressure
- Cataracts, leading to a cloudy lens
Symptoms that make you an ideal candidate
There are a range of symptoms that determine if these treatments work for you, including:
1. Problems with distance vision
LASIK is one of the most common laser eye treatments, and it’s frequently used to manage issues with myopia, hyperopia, and presbyopia, as well as astigmatism.
2. Blurred vision
This can be the result of several eye problems, including refractive errors, cataracts, astigmatism, and glaucoma. There are laser eye surgeries to manage each.
3. Floaters
The squiggly lines, spots, and other stuff that may show up in your vision are largely normal, but may also indicate problems like diabetic retinopathy or retinal detachment. Different types of laser therapy can be used to manage these issues.
4. Sagging eyelids
Whether it’s the bags under your eyes, or ptosis, sagging eyelids can happen for a lot of reasons, and blepharoplasty is a common method of treating them.
Signs you’re a bad candidate
Many people may not be able to have laser eye surgery, especially if you have complicated or challenging eye issues. You may be ineligible if you have irregular astigmatism, changing vision prescriptions, reduced corneal sensations due to diabetes, or conditions that inhibit healing.
Certain conditions can also make you ineligible for these treatments, such as:
- Blepharitis
- Herpes Zoster or Herpes simplex of the eye
- Previous eye injuries
- Keratoconus
- Ocular hypertension
- Dry eye
- Thin cornea
- Angle-closure glaucoma.
Laser treatments have come a long way, and there are many eye problems they can help you with. Make an appointment with our team at Bronx Eye Associates today to find the laser eye surgery that fits your needs.