When Is My Prescription Stable For Lasik?

Perhaps the number one question people have before getting lasik (other than if they are a candidate), is whether their prescription is stable for lasik. So when are you ready for lasik?

Vision changes when you are young. However, vision will eventually stop changing and stabilize. For most people, their vision actually stabilizes between the ages of 18-21. In fact, for many people their vision stabilizes before the age of 15!

Once vision stabilizes, it is still possible to have changes in your glasses prescription. These changes are due to temporary changes on the eye. Fluctuations in the tear film on the surface of the eye can cause the prescription to change a little. These changes in the prescription tend to be very small and the average over time isn’t really changing.

But there are a few situations in which vision may not be stabilized. Highly nearsighted individuals are a a higher risk of their vision becoming a little more nearsighted over time. In addition, students of professional schools such as medical or law school may have an increase in their myopia during their rigorous studies. There can also be medical reasons that can cause changes in prescription. Luckily these situations don’t apply to the vast majority of people.

So even if you have small mild changes in your glasses prescription, odds are good that you are still a good candidate for lasik! But, the easiest way to confirm is just to simply bring your old glasses prescriptions to your doctor appointment.

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