LASIK eye surgery can correct vision in those who are nearsighted, farsighted, or suffer from astigmatism. The surgery for each condition involves the surgeon creating a small flap in the cornea by using a microkeratome blade or a femtosecond laser. The surgeon will then fold back the flap so that they can remove some of the tissue of the cornea using an excimer laser.

People who are nearsighted have a cornea that is too steep and so some of the tissue will be cut to flatten the cornea out. Those who are farsighted have the opposite problem, wherein their cornea is too flat and so cuts must be made in order to make it steeper. Corneas in those who suffer from astigmatism are generally misshaped and so cutting them can make them a more regular shape.

If you think that you might be interested in LASIK eye surgery, there are many steps that you’ll need to take before any surgery is actually done. The first is to find a good LASIK eye surgeon. This doctor will be able to examine you and your eyes and tell you what kind of a prescription is needed, how much of the cornea needs to be removed, and whether or not you’re a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery. Even if you’re not, they may be able to recommend different types of laser eye surgery that may work for your situation.

The first person you should ask for an eye surgeon referral is your regular eye doctor. They will know a lot of names that are practicing in the area, and will have some inside knowledge on which surgeons would be better for you. Another good professional to ask is an eye laser surgeon that you know is very good and very reputable in another state. Call them and ask if they know a good laser eye surgeon in Vancouver; you might get one or two more names to add to your list. Also, if you know a good laser eye surgeon, but they don’t perform the type of surgery you want or need, ask them if they have a specific surgeon who might be good for you.

Of course, if you have any friends or know anyone that has had laser eye surgery, you certainly want to ask them who their surgeon was, if the surgery was effective, if they had complications afterwards, and how happy they were with their surgeon.

Lastly, you can always try surgeons that you’ve heard advertised on the radio, or seen on television. Many surgeons and clinics advertise their services through popular media although admittedly, it is some more than others. Don’t pay attention to any kind of special or package they’re advertising; that shouldn’t be your biggest priority when looking for a good Vancouver laser eye surgeon. But it might give you another name to go on if you’re really having trouble finding laser eye surgeons in your area.

Eyes must be in good general health

Although laser eye surgery is being done to correct vision problems in the eye, eyes must still be in general good health before laser eye surgery can be done. If there are any conditions of the eye, such as chronic dry eye, this would rule out laser eye surgery. Cataracts and glaucoma are also two conditions that would make one an unsuitable candidate for laser eye surgery.

Must be an adult

Most states, hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices require that an individual be an adult before laser eye surgery is performed. In some cases this is 18, and in others it’s 21. Procedures are sometimes done on people younger than that but these are exceptions and are usually due to very special circumstances.

Must have a steady prescription for at least one year

Surgeons need to know what the problem is, and what it’s going to be over the coming years. The eyes and prescription of young people and teenagers is constantly changing and so, it’s hard to get an accurate diagnosis of what their prescription for laser eye surgery should be. Usually surgeons like to wait until a person has had one prescription for at least one year until they consider laser eye surgery.

You should not be pregnant

The hormones that are coursing through the system during pregnancy cause many physical changes in a person; one of those is a change in the shape of the cornea. Because of this, it may cause slight vision problems. However, these problems will probably go away on their own three to six months after birth, when the hormones are in balance once again. Another reason why it’s not a good idea to get laser eye surgery done while you’re pregnant is due to the medications that are used before, during and after the procedure. These medications sometimes contain chemicals that could be harmful to an unborn baby, or a newborn that’s nursing.

You should not have degenerative or autoimmune diseases

The body does need to be able to heal itself, and do so relatively quickly after the surgery and degenerative or autoimmune diseases prohibit this from happening. Rheumatoid arthritis, AIDS, HIV, and type 1 diabetes are some of the conditions that are automatic disqualifiers for laser eye surgery.

You should not have a severe prescription

When people have a severe case of nearsightedness, it requires removing too much of the cornea in laser eye surgery in order for it to be effective. For this reason, people who have a very high prescription may be deemed an unsuitable candidate for laser eye surgery.