A person’s age marks a number of important life milestones, from driving and voting, to working and eventually retiring. While the lasers used to perform LASIK are FDA-approved for those 18 and older, there’s no set age that people should get it. However, there are a few reasons that patients in their 30s may find they are at the optimal age to consider it.
1. Experience improved vision.
By the time people reach their 30s, many have spent decades experiencing vision problems and the hassle of wearing glasses and/or contacts. LASIK can correct refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, thus freeing the person from the continued hassle of glasses and contacts. And, after receiving LASIK, patients experience improved vision almost immediately. Many candidates who qualify for the LASIK procedure obtain 20/20 vision.
2. Enjoy a more active lifestyle.
Once people reach their 30s, they may find themselves traveling for both work and pleasure. LASIK can make traveling by plane easier, as it reduces in-flight dry eye caused by contacts and eliminates traveling with lens solutions and emergency glasses. People in their 30s may also lead more active lifestyles. Participation in physical recreational sports, including swimming, skydiving, scuba diving, skiing and mountain biking, can be easier without relying on corrective lenses.
3. Get the most out of your career.
LASIK can make it possible for many, particularly those with careers that require extensive physical activity such as military, police officers, firefighters and construction workers, to work without glasses. Find out if your career is in our list of occupations that could benefit from LASIK.
4. Take advantage of stability.
A research study performed by British insurer Aviva in 2012 found that most people identify the ideal age during a lifetime to be between 30-39, with 35 being the most favorable age. That was because those surveyed felt that people in their 30s have stability in terms of work, family and living situation, with the hope of more success in front of them. These reasons can make your 30s the perfect time to undergo a LASIK procedure, so you can better enjoy what many people view as the best decade of life.
5. Save money.
Many patients with refractive errors find themselves spending a lot of money to correct their vision problems. Eliminating expenses from frequent visits to the optometrist, new prescriptions, new lenses, replacement lenses and cleaning supplies can make LASIK a more affordable solution in the long run. In 2013, the average price for laser-based vision correction was $2,073 per eye. Additionally, a study by Abbott Medical Optics Inc. (AMO) found that LASIK saves a typical patient between the ages of 30 and 39 more than $13,000.
Tip: Access AMO’s savings calculator to see how cost effective LASIK can be for you.
6. Beat the Clock
Between the ages of 40 and 45, a person’s eyes begin changing as part of the natural aging process. Soon thereafter, many need reading glasses due to presbyopia, a condition caused by a gradual thickening and loss of flexibility in the eye’s lens, making it difficult to focus up close. Most people in their 30s haven’t yet developed presbyopia, so by getting LASIK, they still have plenty of time before needing to wear readers.
These are just a few reasons anyone in his 30s wearing glasses or contacts should consider LASIK. Many patients consider it a life-changing procedure, so it’s worth learning more to see if you’re a candidate.