Can you be too old to have laser vision correction?

It depends on what reason it is being performed and how long you expect the results to last.

If it is to correct myopia (nearsightedness), laser vision correction can be done, but the results will not be as permanent nor as good as in a person under the age of 40. This is because vision problems can be caused by both the cornea (the part of the eye LASIK treats) and the natural lens of the eye. As we get older (after age 45-50 or so), the lens becomes increasingly a source of vision problems that LASIK will not fix.

If laser vision correction is being done to increase the focus of an eye after cataract/IOL surgery, the former would not be the case however.

Written by J. Trevor Woodhams, M.D. - Chief of Surgery, Woodhams Eye Clinic