The best way to determine if you are a candidate for refractive surgery is to visit a surgeon who specializes in these types of cases. At many practices, you may be able to receive a free evaluation to determine your suitability for surgery. A thorough evaluation should include a detailed exam by the surgeon; while some of the steps may be delegated to an optometrist or technician, the surgeon should make the final recommendation for surgery. If you won’t be evaluated by the surgeon until the day of surgery, then realistically someone besides the surgeon has determined that you are a candidate.
The surgeon will evaluate the general health of your eyes, your overall medical condition, the degree of refractive correction needed, and your expectations regarding surgery. Pregnant and nursing women are not candidates for surgery, and all patients must have a stable prescription to be considered. Due to our exhaustive evaluations and conservative recommendations, our doctors determine that 40 – 45% of interested patients are not suitable candidates for refractive surgery.
