Too Old for Lasik?

Question

Is there an age at which Lasik would be ill advised because you might still need glasses to correct age-related eye issues, or does Lasik preclude these problems?

Emil William Chynn, MD, FACS, MBA · Answer

I have successfully done LASEK on a man who was 84, all you need to know is you need punctual plugs, Restasis, and Lacrisert to prevent/treat your dry eyes in the postop period (for a few months), and also MonoVision so you won't need readers, afterwards, either!

Mazin Yaldo, MD · Answer

You can technically have Lasik at any age although it is not the best option for quite a few reasons. Those over the age of 50 often require reading glasses after Lasik, and for this reason I often recommend MonoVision. In addition to Monovision, the real diamond standard for someone over the age of 50 is contact lens implants, preferably the ClearLens exchange. This will prevent you from needing cataract surgery down the road and will hit 2 birds with one stone when it comes to vision correction.

Arturo Chayet, MD · Answer

There is no age limit for LASIK. However, most of the time, we prefer Intraocular Lens Surgery for patients beyond the age of 60. On the other hand, we often times perform LASIK for refractive adjustments after performing Intraocular Lens Surgery. We have successfully performed LASIK on patients as old as 85-years-of-age.

Michael K. Tracy, MD · Answer

Past the age of 40-50 patients lose the ability to accommodate. This means that after LASIK they may still require reading glasses for fine print. About half of these patients are candidates for LASIK with mono-vision, in which case no reading glasses are needed. Past the age of about 70, patients sometimes develop cataracts in which case they are not a candidate for LASIK.

Deepak Raja, MD · Answer

There is no set maximum age for refractive surgery--it just depends on the patient and the situation. If cataracts are present, it is usually better to have those removed first. In order to fine-tune the vision afterwards, refractive surgery is a great option! Dry eyes may become more of a problem postoperatively, but that is usually transient.

Joseph W. King, MD · Answer

As patients age other visual problems like cataracts and Macular degeneration may be higher priorities. However for healthy patients, LASIK may be suitable regardless of age.

Christopher Starr, MD · Answer

There is no formal age maximum for LASIK surgery however most people over the age of 65 typically will have some evidence of early cataracts. If you have even a small cataract you are likely better off having cataract surgery with a multifocal or accommodating intraocular lens than having LASIK surgery. Unlike LASIK surgery, these premium intraocular lenses can correct both distance and near vision simultaneously by restoring the eye's ability to focus (something all of us start losing in our early 40's).

Jon Dishler, MD, FACS · Answer

LASIK can be theoretically performed at any age and there have not been problems associated with advanced age and LASIK.  From a practical perspective, prior to cataract surgery, many patients past the age of 70 would benefit more from a lens extraction procedure than LASIK for their visual complaints.  After cataract and IOL, a LASIK can be performed to fine tune the vision and this is not age dependent.
Younger patients seem to heal more quickly in this area as in all others, and there can be a longer recovery period in older patients.  Also, other medical problems in the elderly may make LASIK less practical.

Cary M. Silverman, MD · Answer

There are no upper age restrictions for LASIK. I have treated patients well into their 80's with excellent results. These patients have generally already had cataract surgery and do not want to wear glasses for distance.  
In the LASIK patient past their mid 40's reading glasses are generally needed to see uo close, but distance vision is excellent without glasses.

Anthony J. Kameen, MD (retired) · Answer

I don't feel anyone is ever too old for LASIK provided they understand what they are getting and not getting. I will use myself as an example. I had laser vision correction of my nearsightedness at age 38 (in 1994) and for the next decade I could see great at far, intermediate and near. Starting at about age 48 I began to need reading glasses and today, at 53, I definitely do.

	When I perform LASIK on someone over 50 I make absolutely sure there is no other sign of eye disease (glaucoma, cataract,etc)  and if all is clear, their cornea is healthy, and they understand they will need readers for some things, then I am comfortable to operate on them. My oldest LASIK patient so far was 84....and she is still doing great!

Too Old for Lasik?

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