When Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery can be considered when your eyes are fully developed, your glasses or contact lens prescription has remained stable, and your corneas and overall eye health are suitable for treatment.

For most people, this means being at least 18 years old and having a stable prescription for approximately one year. However, age alone does not determine whether you can have laser eye surgery.

Your corneal thickness and shape, refractive error, eye health, lifestyle and medical history must all be evaluated before a treatment such as LASIK, Femto LASIK or TransPRK is recommended.

The simplest answer is:

You can usually have laser eye surgery once you are an adult, your prescription is stable and a comprehensive eye examination confirms that your eyes are suitable for the procedure.

Because every eye is different, the right time for laser eye surgery should ultimately be determined after a detailed refractive surgery assessment.

What Age Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery is generally considered for adults aged 18 and over.

However, turning 18 does not automatically mean that you are ready for surgery.

One of the most important considerations is whether your prescription has stopped changing. Refractive errors such as myopia can continue to progress during the late teenage years and early twenties.

If your glasses or contact lens prescription is still changing, your ophthalmologist may recommend waiting until your vision becomes stable.

The FDA also identifies recent changes in glasses or contact lens prescriptions as a sign of refractive instability that should be discussed with your doctor before LASIK. Younger adults, pregnant or breastfeeding women and people whose vision may fluctuate because of certain medical conditions or medications may be more likely to experience refractive instability.

Is There a Best Age for Laser Eye Surgery?

There is no single perfect age that applies to everyone.

Many patients consider laser vision correction in their 20s, 30s and 40s, provided their prescription and eyes are suitable.

As people reach their 40s and beyond, another factor becomes increasingly important: presbyopia.

Presbyopia is the natural age-related reduction in the eye's ability to focus on nearby objects. This is why many people begin using reading glasses or bifocals later in life.

Having presbyopia does not necessarily mean laser treatment is impossible, but your ophthalmologist may discuss different approaches or alternative treatments depending on your visual needs.

How Stable Does Your Prescription Need to Be?

A stable prescription is one of the most important factors when deciding when you can have laser eye surgery.

In general, ophthalmologists prefer your refractive prescription to have remained reasonably stable for around 12 months before treatment.

Why?

Laser eye surgery reshapes the cornea according to your current refractive error. If your prescription continues to change after surgery, your vision may also change.

During your consultation, previous glasses or contact lens prescriptions may therefore be reviewed to determine whether your eyesight has stabilised.

A stable prescription alone is not enough, though. Your suitability will also depend on:

• Corneal thickness
• Corneal shape and topography
• Degree of myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism
• Tear film and dry eye status
• General eye health
• Medical history
• Expectations from treatment

A comprehensive eye examination is therefore essential before making a final decision.

Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery When Pregnant?

Laser eye surgery is generally postponed during pregnancy.

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can temporarily affect the cornea and vision, which may make refractive measurements less predictable.

The FDA identifies pregnancy and breastfeeding as factors associated with refractive instability. The American Academy of Ophthalmology's EyeWiki also notes that pregnancy-related hormonal changes may affect corneal characteristics and discusses postponing refractive surgery during pregnancy.

Therefore, if you are pregnant and considering laser eye surgery, your ophthalmologist will usually advise waiting.

After pregnancy and breastfeeding, your vision should be reassessed to confirm that your prescription and corneal measurements have returned to a stable state.

How Long After Pregnancy Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery?

There is not one universal waiting period suitable for every patient.

The important factor is for pregnancy- and breastfeeding-related hormonal changes to settle and for your vision to become stable again.

Some clinical recommendations discussed by the AAO's EyeWiki suggest postponing treatment for several months after pregnancy and after breastfeeding has stopped, although the exact timing should be determined individually.

A new eye examination is therefore necessary before treatment.

Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery When You Have Astigmatism?

Yes. Many people with astigmatism can have laser eye surgery.

Astigmatism occurs when the cornea or lens has an irregular curvature, causing light to focus unevenly and resulting in blurred or distorted vision.

Modern refractive laser procedures may be used to correct astigmatism alongside myopia or hyperopia in suitable patients.

Veni Vidi Eye offers laser vision correction options for refractive errors including myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism, with treatment selection depending on the patient's individual eye structure.

However, whether your astigmatism can be treated depends on factors such as:

• The degree of astigmatism
• Corneal shape
• Corneal thickness
• Prescription stability
• Overall eye health

Your ophthalmologist may recommend a treatment such as LASIK, Femto LASIK or another laser technique after detailed measurements.

Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery When You Wear Bifocals?

Possibly, but the answer depends on why you wear bifocals.

Many people use bifocal or varifocal glasses because they have developed presbyopia, an age-related condition that makes focusing on close objects more difficult.

Standard laser eye surgery does not stop the natural ageing process of the eye.

For this reason, someone who has laser treatment for distance vision may still require reading glasses as they get older.

In selected patients, approaches such as monovision may be considered, where one eye is primarily corrected for distance and the other is adjusted for nearer vision.

However, this approach is not suitable for everyone.

If you currently wear bifocals or progressive lenses, a comprehensive examination is necessary to determine whether corneal laser treatment or another vision correction option is more appropriate.

Can You Have Laser Eye Surgery When Put to Sleep?

Laser eye surgery is normally performed while you are awake.

Procedures such as LASIK generally use anaesthetic eye drops to numb the surface of the eye rather than general anaesthesia.

The treatment itself is typically very short, and modern laser systems are designed to perform highly precise corrections.

Veni Vidi Eye describes laser procedures such as LASIK and TransPRK as treatments performed using anaesthetic eye drops.

Patients who feel anxious about the procedure should discuss their concerns with their ophthalmologist before treatment.

The surgical team can explain what you will see and feel during the procedure and how patient comfort is managed.

Who May Not Be Suitable for Laser Eye Surgery?

Not everyone is a suitable candidate for laser vision correction.

Laser eye surgery may need to be postponed or another treatment considered if you have:

• An unstable prescription
• Certain corneal abnormalities
• Insufficient corneal thickness
• Significant uncontrolled dry eye
• Certain active eye diseases
• Pregnancy or ongoing breastfeeding
• Certain medical conditions affecting healing
• Unrealistic expectations about treatment results

The FDA also advises patients with refractive instability and certain medical or eye-related risk factors to discuss these issues carefully with their doctor before considering LASIK.

Importantly, being unsuitable for one laser technique does not necessarily mean that no vision correction treatment is available.

For example, depending on the structure of your eye, your ophthalmologist may consider different laser technologies or lens-based alternatives.

Which Type of Laser Eye Surgery Can You Have?

The right laser eye surgery depends on your individual eye measurements.

Options may include:

LASIK

LASIK reshapes the cornea to correct refractive errors and is known for relatively rapid visual recovery in suitable patients.

Internal link: LASIK Eye Surgery

Femto LASIK

Femto LASIK uses femtosecond laser technology as part of a bladeless approach to creating the corneal flap.

Internal link: iLASIK / Femto Laser

TransPRK

TransPRK is a surface-based laser treatment that does not require the creation of a corneal flap.

Veni Vidi Eye describes TransPRK as a No Touch Laser approach used for suitable patients with refractive errors.

Internal link: TransPRK

The fact that one technique is popular does not mean it is automatically the best technique for your eyes.

Treatment should be selected according to your corneal structure, prescription and individual visual needs.

How Do You Know If You Can Have Laser Eye Surgery?

You cannot determine your suitability based only on your age or glasses prescription.

A detailed laser eye examination is required.

Your assessment may include measurements of:

• Your current refractive prescription
• Corneal thickness
• Corneal curvature and shape
• Corneal topography
• Eye pressure
• Tear film
• Pupil characteristics
• Overall eye health

These measurements allow your ophthalmologist to determine whether laser surgery is appropriate and, if so, which technique may be most suitable.

When Is the Best Time to Have Laser Eye Surgery?

The best time to have laser eye surgery is when:

Your prescription is stable, your eyes are healthy, your cornea is suitable and there are no temporary factors—such as pregnancy—that could affect the accuracy or stability of your treatment.

Your age is only one part of the decision.

For some patients, the right time may be in their early twenties. For others, it may be years later.

The safest approach is to have a comprehensive assessment with an ophthalmologist experienced in refractive surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions About Laser Eye Surgery

When can you have laser eye surgery?

You can generally consider laser eye surgery when you are at least 18, your prescription has remained stable and your eye examination confirms that your corneas and overall eye health are suitable for treatment.

Can you have laser eye surgery when pregnant?

Laser eye surgery is generally postponed during pregnancy because hormonal changes can temporarily affect vision and corneal measurements. Treatment can be reconsidered after pregnancy and breastfeeding once your vision has stabilised.

Can you have laser eye surgery when you have astigmatism?

Yes. Many patients with astigmatism can be treated with laser eye surgery. Suitability depends on the degree of astigmatism and the structure and health of the cornea.

Can you have laser eye surgery when you wear bifocals?

Possibly. Wearing bifocals does not automatically prevent laser eye surgery, but presbyopia and age-related changes must be considered when choosing the most appropriate vision correction method.

Can you have laser eye surgery when put to sleep?

Laser eye surgery is normally performed while the patient is awake using anaesthetic eye drops. General anaesthesia is not typically required for standard refractive laser procedures.

Can you have laser eye surgery at 18?

Laser eye surgery may be considered from age 18, but your prescription should also be stable and your eyes must be suitable for the procedure.

Can you have laser eye surgery if your prescription is still changing?

Laser surgery is generally postponed until your prescription becomes stable because continuing refractive changes may affect the long-term visual result.