Skip to content
Medically Reviewed
If you want to remove dependency on glasses or contact lenses, LASIK eye surgery might sound like one of the most practical solutions. LASIK eye surgery is a refractive eye surgery that uses lasers to fix problems with your vision, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
However, not everyone is eligible for this refractive surgery. To have LASIK surgery, you need to meet certain LASIK eligibility requirements, such as:
- You should be 18 years or older.
- Your eye prescription should remain stable over the last year.
- Your corneas need to be thick enough and healthy.
- Your overall eye health must be generally good.
Eye specialists at leading eye centers, such as Wavikar Eye Institute, analyze and conduct comprehensive diagnoses that help determine who can get LASIK safely. Read this blog to know about the seven most important signs that help determine if you are a good candidate for LASIK eye surgery or not.
What is LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK eye surgery is the best known and most commonly performed laser refractive surgery to correct vision problems.
The name LASIK stands for “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.”
Let’s break down “laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.”
The term “in situ” means “in position” or “in place.” The word “keratomileusis” is the medical term for reshaping your cornea.
Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis helps improve blurry vision caused by refractive errors, such as:
- Nearsightedness (myopia)
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Astigmatism
LASIK is an outpatient surgical procedure. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to perform for each eye.
Also Read: LASIK Surgery Packages in Mumbai Thane: What Patients Need to Know
Why is LASIK Eligibility Important
LASIK eligibility is crucial because it helps ensure that the procedure is safe and effective and offers you a good long‑term visual outcome.
Performing this refractive eye surgery on unsuitable candidates can lead to severe, permanent complications, such as compromised vision, chronic dry eyes, corneal damage, or severe side effects like halos and glare at night.
Who Can Get LASIK: Here is the 7 LASIK Eligibility Requirements
Wondering if you are eligible for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis? Understand these seven important requirements to know your answer.
S.No. | LASIK Eligibility Requirement | What It Means for the Patient |
1 | Your vision prescription has been stable for at least one year | Eye doctors usually require that your spectacle or contact lens prescription stay the same for a minimum of 12 months. Frequent changes suggest your eyes are still developing, so LASIK may be postponed until the prescription stabilizes. |
2 | You should be 18 years or older (ideally, over 21 years old, when vision is more likely to have stopped changing). | Most LASIK surgeons require patients to be at least 18; many prefer those over 21. Younger eyes often continue to change, which can reduce the long‑term success of laser vision correction. |
3 | Your corneas need to be thick enough and healthy | Your cornea must be thick enough, clear, and free from disease or scarring. Tests such as corneal topography and pachymetry are done to confirm suitability; conditions like thin corneas, keratoconus, or corneal scarring may make you ineligible. |
4 | You have a treatable refractive error | LASIK is designed to correct myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism within safe prescription ranges. Very high degrees of refractive error may fall outside safe treatment limits and may require alternative procedures. |
5 | You do not have severe dry eyes | Dry‑eye symptoms can worsen after LASIK, so patients with severe dry‑eye syndrome may be poor candidates. Mild dryness can often be treated, but significant dryness may reduce or rule out LASIK eligibility. |
6 | Your overall eye health is good | Conditions such as advanced glaucoma, cataracts, uncontrolled diabetic eye disease, active eye infections, retinal disorders, or severe eye allergies may disqualify you or require medical management before considering surgery. |
7 | You have realistic expectations about LASIK results | LASIK can greatly reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses and often brings vision to 20/20–20/40; however, it cannot guarantee “perfect” vision for life and may not fully correct age‑related reading problems (presbyopia). |
To determine who can get LASIK safely, doctors at Wavikar Eye Institute may perform the following tests.
- Vision Testing
- Corneal Mapping
- Pupil Measurement
- Tear Film Evaluation
- Retinal Examination
Who is Not Eligible for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis
Individuals with the following conditions are generally not good candidates:
- an unstable (changing) refractive error
- extreme levels of myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism
- severe dry eye
- corneas that are too thin
- corneal scars or disease
- keratoconus (cone-shaped cornea)
- advanced glaucoma
- a cataract affecting vision
- a history of having certain eye infections
- diabetes that is not controlled well
Alternative Names of LASIK Eye Surgery
Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis; Laser vision correction; Nearsightedness – Lasik; Myopia – Lasik; Farsightedness – Lasik; Hyperopia – Lasik
How LASIK Eye Surgery is Done
For clear vision, your eye’s cornea and lens must bend (refract) light rays properly. This allows images to be focused on the retina (a thin, light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eyeball). Otherwise, the images will be blurry.
This blurriness is known as a “refractive error.” It happens because of a mismatch between the shape of the cornea (curvature) and the length of the eye.
LASIK uses an excimer laser (an ultraviolet laser) to remove a thin layer of corneal tissue. This gives the cornea a new shape so that light rays are focused clearly on your retina. Therefore, the image formed is clear.
Benefits of This Laser Vision Correction
It may offer you the following benefits if under professional guidance:
- Reduced dependence on glasses
- Freedom from contact lenses
- Quick recovery time
- Fast procedure
- Long-lasting results
- Improved quality of life
Side Effects of Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis
Although it is a safe procedure, if you meet the eligibility criteria. But like any other procedure, it can come with the following complications:
- Corneal infection
- Corneal scarring
- Permanent problems with the cornea’s shape make it impossible to wear contact lenses
- Decrease in contrast sensitivity: even with 20/20 vision, objects may appear fuzzy or gray
- Dry eyes
- Glare or halos
- Light sensitivity
- Night driving problems
- Patches of red or pink in the white of the eye (broken blood vessels, usually temporary)
- Reduced vision or permanent vision loss
- Scratchiness
Conclusion
About 9 out of 10 people (90 percent) who have LASIK end up with vision between 20/20 and 20/40—without glasses or contact lenses. However, if it would bring successful, similar results to you, it depends on proper LASIK eligibility screening and realistic expectations. Hence, for the best long-term outcome, schedule a comprehensive LASIK eye test with an experienced ophthalmologist.
Are you looking for the best LASIK surgery hospital in Thane?
Contact Wavikar Eye Institute today if you want freedom from glasses / contact lenses:
- Call: +91 93555 29217
- WhatsApp: +91 77100 55123
- Email: contact@wavikareye.com
Wavikar Eye Institute proudly brings WaveLight Plus LASIK, an advanced, AI-powered, ray-tracing laser vision correction technology. This latest type of LASIK eye surgery is designed to provide a highly customized treatment experience for people with refractive errors.
What makes this even more special is that Wavikar Eye Institute is among the first centers in India to introduce this advanced technology, and Dr. C. M. Wavikar is among the first surgeons in India to successfully complete 100+ WaveLight Plus LASIK procedures.
Also Read: WaveLight Plus LASIK in Mumbai, India: Advanced Ray-Tracing Vision Correction (2026 Guide)
FAQs
Can I watch TV after LASIK?
How much does LASIK cost in Thane, Mumbai?
Is LASIK painful?
This content is medically reviewed by the Ophthalmology Team of Wavikar Eye Institute, a trusted healthcare provider in diagnosing and managing eye conditions. All content is medically reviewed to ensure reliability and clinical accuracy.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for professional advice. Contact your Ophthalmologist for the right management of eye conditions.
