What is the Best Age to Get Laser Surgery?

Posted by: Dakota Eye Institute in Uncategorized on January 18, 2022

If you’ve grown up wearing prescription glasses, you may be wondering how much longer you’ll need to wait until you’re a candidate for laser eye surgery. More children are battling vision problems these days due to a rise in screen time. On average, children ages 8 to 12 years old spend approximately 4 hours per day looking at digital screens. Research has shown a substantial uptick in near-sighted cases in younger children in recent years.

As with most elective surgeries, doctors will recommend that patients are fully developed both physically and in mental maturity. Eyesight is no different. Most children and teens do not require a permanent alteration to their vision and their vision needs are most often easily corrected with glasses or contacts. Since the FDA has not approved lasers specifically for eye surgery for anyone under 18, that means 18 is the minimal age that one can receive laser eye surgery. However, eyes and vision are not fully developed until the early 20s, with vision typically stabilizing through your 30s. Eyesight can change quite a bit through early adulthood. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests that a person should be older than age 21 as this is when most people are likely to be done with major eye changes. Most ophthalmologists recommend that the best age to get laser surgery for the eyes is between ages 25-40 years old. 

In addition to age, other qualifying factors for laser eye surgery include stable vision for a minimum of one year prior to the procedure, having an adequate amount of corneal thickness, women should not be pregnant or breastfeeding, and patients must be free of any eye disease such as glaucoma, cataracts, keratoconus and more. 

At Dakota Eye Institute your care and comfort are our top priority. Contact our office at 701-222-3937 or WEBSITE to conveniently schedule your appointment or to have your questions answered by our dedicated team of staff and surgeons.