Why is LASIK not done for people with power -14?

LASIK works by thinning and flattening the cornea, the clear dome overlying the pupil and iris. The amount of corneal thinning is proportional to the degree of nearsightedness (myopia) being treated. When one is trying to treat such a high prescription as -14 diopters, there is going to be an excessive amount of corneal thinning necessary. This can create long-term problems by weakening and possibly destabilizing the structural integrity of the cornea.

A better solution might be something like the ICL, where the risks of surgery are the same regardless of the Rx being treated, because the cornea is not being touched.

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