Eye laser surgery and age
Are you considering eye laser treatment but wondering if your age plays a role? You’re not alone. On this page, you’ll read why age affects eye laser surgery and which treatment is most suitable based on your age.
Why age plays an important role in eye laser surgery
Age affects the eye in various ways. Two life phases are particularly important:
- You are (too) young: your eyes haven't finished developing
Eye laser surgery is only possible when the eye is fully developed and your prescription is stable. This is important to ultimately achieve the best result.
The conditions FYEO applies are:
- You are at least 18 years old
- Your prescription has been stable for at least 1 year
When are eyes fully developed?
For most people, this is around 21–22 years. Therefore, eye laser surgery is not performed under 18, and between 18 and 21–22 years only if the prescription is demonstrably stable.
- You're getting older: your eye lens ages
From approximately age 45, the natural eye lens gradually becomes stiffer. This is called presbyopia (age-related farsightedness). You notice this through:
- Reading difficulties
- Trouble focusing up close
- Need for reading glasses
Eye laser surgery changes the shape of the cornea, but not the eye lens. Therefore, after age 45, you may still need reading glasses, even with laser-treated eyes. From this age, alternatives such as lens replacement are often considered, which you'll read more about later.
For which ages is eye laser surgery suitable?
Age is an important factor, but not the only one. Corneal thickness, refractive error, eye health, and stability also play a role.
Curious if you're suitable?
Schedule a free preliminary examination.
Eye laser surgery by age
18–35 years: the ideal age group
In this phase:
- Eye prescription is usually stable
- The eye lens is still flexible
Eye laser surgery is often a successful method for this age group to live completely glasses- or contact lens-free.
35–45 years: still possible
Eye laser surgery is still possible in this age group, although presbyopia is slowly approaching. It generally gives the desired result, but you enjoy completely glasses-free vision for a relatively shorter time than someone aged 18–35.
When you're 45+, it's often advised to wait until presbyopia really becomes an issue.
Eye laser surgery over 50 years
From approximately age 50, the situation changes. Your eye lens ages, reducing your near vision sharpness. Even if the cornea is perfectly laser-treated, the lens remains the weak point.
What can you expect if you still have laser surgery over 50?
- You'll still get reading difficulties
- You'll need lens replacement within a few years for permanent glasses-free vision
- Cataracts can develop at a later age (independent of eye laser surgery)
Therefore, FYEO advises against eye laser surgery over ± 50 years.
Are there alternatives?
Absolutely! Read more about our ReplaceLens treatment.
Eye laser surgery over 60 years?
This is almost never performed. At 60+, almost always one or more of these points play a role:
- Clearly aged eye lens
- Beginning or existing cataracts
- Reduced lens flexibility
Therefore, a lens replacement treatment is almost always the better choice for this age group.
You can read more about this on the page ReplaceLens treatment.
Request a preliminary examination
Your preliminary examination is always free and without obligation and includes eye tests and a consultation with the eye specialist.
- Personalized treatment advice tailored to you
- The ophthalmologist from the consultation is the treating ophthalmologist
- All-inclusive price