You must be over 18 to be eligible for laser eye surgery, however there is no upper age limit. There are a few factors that need to be taken into account to see if you’re an ideal candidate and age may affect these. 

Can You Still Get Laser Eye Surgery in your 50’s and 60’s?

Yes, you can still receive laser eye surgery well into your 50s and 60s and beyond. Your eyes and vision change throughout your life however this is not an impediment to your eligibility. You do need to have a stable vision prescription for at least one year.

You also must meet various eye health criteria. Patients with cataracts or severe nearsightedness and farsightedness may not see improvements from laser eye surgery. Your Doctor may recommend cataract surgery or refractive lens exchange (RLE). 

Can I Have Lasik if I’ve Had Cataract Surgery?

If you’ve had cataract surgery in the past, you can still qualify for laser eye surgery. 

Will Vision Changes After 50 Disqualify You?

Your vision naturally changes throughout your life. Many people experience worsening vision as they age, especially beyond 50 years of age. Such changes will not disqualify you for assuming you meet the criteria defined above. 

Laser Eye Surgery for common age-related Vision Issues 

As you age, the lens of your eye may lose its flexibility resulting in a common refractive error called presbyopia or age-related farsightedness. This issue causes close up tasks like reading difficult. Presbyopia doesn’t disqualify you for laser eye surgery as you are eligible for Monovision LASIK. This procedure corrects each eye to a different prescription. One eye will be corrected for long-distance vision while the other will be corrected for close-up vision. You’ll then have less dependency on prescription glasses. 

What factors prevent you from Laser Eye Surgery? 

The following factors may disqualify you:

• Eye diseases (glaucoma, cataracts, amblyopia, severe dry eye syndrome, etc.)
• Constant vision changes.
• Severe refractive errors ( of -8 dioptres or greater)
• Thin corneas
• Autoimmune disorders
• Conditions that require steroid treatments
• Diabetes
• Eye injuries
• Eye infections
• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding

Why Choose Us for Your Laser Eye Surgery?

We specialise in providing all forms of laser eye surgery and have many years of experience performing the procedure on all types of patients. 

If you searched online for, “Is there an age limit for Lasik surgery?” you may need more help determining your eligibility. We analyse your vision and prescribe the most appropriate procedure for your needs. Schedule a consultation with our team at Southside Eye Centre in Brisbane by calling 07 3849 1511 to discuss your suitability for laser eye surgery.