Laser eye surgery: when am I too old?

It's a common question that comes up: am I too old to have laser eye surgery? Have I missed my chance? Am I going to need reading glasses soon? Am I going to get cataracts soon?

There is no 100% answer as to the optimal time to have laser eye surgery (LASIK, SMILE or ASLA) but for most people, it's between the ages of 24 and 35. The reasoning is this: by age 24, your glasses prescription is usually stable enough and at age 35 you still have 10 years before you will need reading glasses and most of my patients want at least 10 years of no glasses.

BUT..... many people have laser eye surgery outside that age range. Some people have stable glasses prescriptions by age 21. Patients will have laser in their 50s and be happy with blended vision i.e. one eye for distance and one for close up, which allows them to be free from their glasses most of the day. And just because you had laser in your 20s and 30s, doesn't mean you can't have it again when you are older to adjust your short or long vision.

Ultimately, if you have healthy eyes, you are never too old to have laser eye surgery. It just means that you need good solid advice on what's achievable at your age.