People can dream about getting LASIK vision correction at any age, but the older you get, the more you might wonder, “Am I too old for LASIK surgery?” Even if you got well into your 40s wearing glasses or contact lenses without feeling too bothered, you might find yourself thinking that LASIK surgery could make your life a lot easier. If you’re in your 40s or older, you might be asking, “Is there a LASIK age limit? If so, what age is too old for LASIK surgery?” 

Is there a LASIK age limit?

Wondering if you still qualify for LASIK after 40? The great news is that although you need to be at least 18 before being able to qualify for LASIK, there’s no official age limit for getting a LASIK procedure. Patients of any age do need to be good candidates for the procedure, however, which comes with a number of different requirements regardless of your age. For patients considering LASIK after 50, for example, they’ll want to make sure they meet the following criteria. 

Stable vision

In order to qualify as a good candidate for LASIK, your vision prescription needs to remain the same for at least a year to be eligible. If your prescription has changed recently, you’ll need to wait and see if your vision stabilizes. Ask your doctor how to proceed from there. 

Healthy eyes

Your eyes need to be both healthy and in good shape in order to be a candidate for LASIK. If you have an eye disease or condition like cataracts, glaucoma, or chronic dry eye, for example, you are unlikely to be eligible for LASIK. Additionally, patients with eye injuries, refractive errors that are too severe, or who have thin corneas, are unfortunately not good LASIK candidates.

Good general health

Generally speaking, you need to be in good health overall in order to be a good candidate for LASIK. Since your corneas will need to heal properly in order to achieve the vision correction results you’re after, it’s important that you give your eye surgeon a full health history to see if you’re eligible. If you are immunocompromised, have certain vascular conditions, or have poorly controlled diabetes, it’s essential that you tell your eye doctor.

What can LASIK correct?

LASIK is intended to correct farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism that result from the shape of your eyeball or the curvature of your cornea. Because LASIK surgery reshapes your cornea to correct your vision, it can only correct conditions solved by the removal of corneal tissue. As such, it cannot correct the age-related farsightedness called presbyopia. 

Presbyopia is one of the most common vision problems after the age of 40. In fact, it’s the vision problem responsible for the frequent joke about holding things at progressive distances until one’s arms feel too short. Presbyopia is a result of the lens in your eye losing elasticity with age, making it harder for you to focus on very small or close-up objects. Presbyopia will continue to progress as the eyes age, so reading glasses typically become necessary to help. 

While standard LASIK cannot correct age-related farsightedness, Monovision LASIK may be a solution for some patients who wonder, “Am I too old for LASIK surgery?” Monovision LASIK involves the eye surgeon fully correcting the distance vision in one eye while making the other eye slightly nearsighted, allowing for sharper vision close up. This type of LASIK may impact depth perception, however, so make sure you talk to your eye surgeon about whether it’s right for you and your eyes. 

Is it possible to get LASIK after age 60?

It might surprise you to learn that LASIK after age 60 is still possible for some patients. While age may increase the potential for possible complicating factors that could disqualify patients from being candidates for LASIK, there’s no LASIK age limit. That’s because the state of the eyes, and the patient’s overall health, is the true deciding factor. If the patient is healthy and their eyes are healthy and in good shape, their eye surgeon could declare them a LASIK candidate. 

What to consider if you want LASIK after 50 or 60

If you’re still concerned and thinking, “But am I too old for LASIK surgery?” think about yourself holistically. Whether you’re interested in LASIK after 40, 50, or beyond, it’s important to discuss your health, lifestyle, and general needs with your eye surgeon when it’s time to see if you’re eligible. There are also some considerations that may be more common in older patients that should be taken into account. Ask your doctor about the following when it’s time to see if LASIK is a good match for you. 

Medication interactions

The older you get, the more likely it is that you’ll be prescribed some long-term medication or another. Certain medications can have side effects that impact the eyes, or that impact your body’s ability to heal properly, making you a poor candidate for LASIK. As such, it’s critical that you tell your eye surgeon about any medications you take to find out if you’re eligible for LASIK surgery.

Pre-existing eye disease

As you age, your eyes are at a higher risk of developing certain conditions. The likelihood of developing macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma goes up over the years, so it’s important to recognize that these also become more likely to disqualify you from LASIK as you get older. Your eye surgeon will get a thorough family health history from you, as well as closely examining your eyes before deciding whether or not you qualify for the surgery.

What age is too old for LASIK surgery?

Ultimately, there is no age cap for LASIK surgery because whether or not you’re a good candidate for the surgery depends on the overall health of your eyes and your body. If you’re a healthy 70-year-old in excellent shape with healthy, clear eyes, you might be a fantastic candidate for LASIK! Every patient is different, and every patient’s eyes are unique, so whether or not a patient qualifies for LASIK is decided on a case-by-case basis. Don’t automatically count yourself out because you think you’re too old. If you’re interested in vision correction surgery, it’s worth discussing LASIK with your eye surgeon. 

Dello Russo Laser Vision is here to help you

Even if you don’t qualify for LASIK, you still have options like PRK. Make sure you work with an experienced, trustworthy eye surgeon so you can find out what the best course of action is for you and your eyes. We invite you to start with Dello Russo Laser Vision—a celebrated LASIK center with locations in Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, and New Jersey. We have been the leading eye care providers in the Northeast for over 40 years, and we’re proud of our legacy of service and excellent vision results. 

Ready to find out if LASIK is right for you? Start by reading through our LASIK FAQs and making an appointment for your complimentary initial consultation. We’ll find out whether you and your eyes are a good match for LASIK and, if not, what other procedures could address your vision correction needs. We’re dedicated to providing friendly, professional service and excellent results, and our trusted reputation is built on our teams’ expertise, experience, and high-quality care. Get in touch with Dello Russo Laser Vision today to get started on your road to better vision. We look forward to helping you.