LASIK Candidates – Houston & Katy

original_inline_lasik_candidatesIf you rely heavily on glasses or contacts to enhance your vision, imagine in minutes permanently improving your eyesight with LASIK. If you make a suitable LASIK candidate, our Houston and Katy offices offer top-quality eye care that can provide you with the best quality vision you have ever had. LASIK utilizes a laser to reshape the cornea and correct the way light enters the eye and focuses on the retina. Though permanent, other vision issues can still occur as you age; in many instances, these too can be treated successfully.
Dr. Jeffery Whitsett uses the most modern technology and advanced techniques to help ensure that the procedure is incredibly safe. However, as with any medical procedure, not everyone is a candidate for LASIK. If you are interested in the procedure or have questions about what qualities are found in ideal LASIK candidates, we invite you to contact our Houston or Katy office to speak with one of our staff members.

Are You a Candidate?

Thanks to modern advancements in LASIK technology, a broad range of people qualify for the procedure. However, there are stipulations that dictate the probable success and safety of the treatment. You may be a LASIK candidate if you:

  • Are at least 19 years old (preferably 21)
  • Do not suffer from cataracts
  • Do not suffer from glaucoma
  • Have had a stable vision prescription for about a year
  • Enjoy good overall and ocular health
  • Have undergone Radial Keratotomy (RK)

Some conditions may hinder your ability to undergo LASIK such as keratoconus (deterioration of the cornea) or lupus. Women who are pregnant (or nursing) should wait until four months post-partum before undergoing LASIK. A diabetic patient’s candidacy is dependent on more specific factors; if you have diabetes, Dr. Whitsett will elaborate on these factors during your consultation.
For those who may not qualify for a traditional LASIK procedure, the Whitsett Vision Group specializes in a number of alternative treatments that can offer similarly dramatic improvements in your vision. Some of these options include:

  • ASA – Advanced Surface Ablation, or ASA, is a laser eye surgery procedure intended to correct a person’s vision and reduce dependency on glasses or contact lenses just like LASIK. ASA permanently changes the shape of the anterior central cornea using an excimer laser to ablate (remove by vaporization) a small amount of tissue from the corneal stroma at the front of the eye, just under the corneal epithelium. The laser used for ASA is the same laser used for LASIK, the difference being that no flap is created. Instead of a flap, the outer layer of the cornea is removed prior to the LASER treatment.
  • Visian ICL – If you suffer from nearsightedness and don’t want to rely on glasses and contact lenses for the rest of your life, Visian ICL™ can help you see more clearly than ever. This lens will provide you with a permanent improvement in your vision and will bring depth, clarity, sharpness, and dimension to the way you see the world.

Learn More about LASIK Surgery

LASIK surgery can be a convenient, painless, life-changing experience for those who qualify. Being able to see clearly and in vivid color is something you may have assumed was out of reach after years of eyeglass prescriptions and contact lenses. But LASIK technology has changed that, and has continued to provide incredible results that help patients see the world in a new light.
If you are interested in evaluating your candidacy for LASIK and are looking for an eye care center that values patients above all, the Whitsett Vision Group is right for you. Please contact our Houston or Katy office today if you think you’re a LASIK candidate; we can schedule your complimentary consultation at your earliest convenience.