Number 1 questions we get asked: Am I too old for LASIK? Whenever base candidacy solely on age, there are a number of factors we use to determine what is best suited to you. However, age is a good shortcut for what sort of questions to ask. For patients over the age of 46 we know to ask them about their symptoms associated with Dysfunctional Lens Syndrome (DLS). Don’t worry! We can still treat those patients. But let’s chat a little more about DLS first.
DLS is broken down into 3 stages. While everyone is different, DLS often begins in your 40’s. Symptoms begin slowly. At first, you may notice your ability to focus is slightly worse. You need to hold your phone out just a little farther to read it. Then you’ll need either reading glasses or bifocals to read. This occurs because as we age, the natural lens in our eye is also aging and stiffening.
Stage 2 is where symptoms begin to ramp up. The loss of focusing ability gets worse. Patients begin to struggle with reading in low light, like at night or a dimly lit restaurant. And driving at night becomes more challenging. This typically happens in your 50’s and 60’s.
Once you reach Stage 3, you have a fully developed cataract. This occurs in your 60’s, 70’s, or beyond if you’re super lucky! That lens in your eye not only continues to stiffen, it starts to get cloudy and yellow! This can significantly impair your vision. (It also affects your perception of colors.)
Don’t let DLS make you feel old! We always say, cataracts are like wrinkles. Everyone will get them if they live long enough. But how quickly they show up has more to do with genetics than anything else.