What Age Can You Get Laser Eye Surgery?

Laser eye surgery can be life-changing. But when is the right time to have it?

In this post, we’ll explain:

The minimum and ideal age
Why age matters
Exceptions to the general rule

Minimum age: 21 years old

In most cases, you need to be at least 21 years old for laser eye surgery.

This is because your vision should be stable before you have treatment. The eyes are still growing and changing in younger teenagers, and doing surgery too early could mean needing glasses again later.

Ideal age: early 20s to 40s

The best time to have laser eye surgery is often when:

Your prescription has been stable for at least a year
Your eyes are healthy
You want to enjoy many years of glasses-free living

Older patients: 40+

Laser eye surgery can still work well after 40. But age-related changes like presbyopia (difficulty focusing on close objects) might mean you’ll eventually need reading glasses.

There are special treatments like blended vision or lens replacement for older patients.

We’ll help you choose the right option for your eyes and your lifestyle.

Is there an upper age limit?

There’s no strict age limit, but:

Eye health must be good
Corneas must be suitable
General health must allow safe healing

We regularly treat patients in their 50s and beyond!

How we check your suitability

At My Eye Clinic in Gosforth, we carry out a full assessment including:

Prescription check
Eye health scans
Corneal mapping
Lifestyle and goals discussion

If laser isn’t the best option for you, we’ll talk about alternatives.