River Forest, IL | The Screening Process for LASIK Candidates | Kirk Eye Center

Kent Kirk, MD: Yes. One of the most common questions I get at a cocktail party when I'm out is, "Boy, I'd love to have laser vision correction done, but I've got astigmatism. I've been told, at one point, that I'm not a candidate," or, "I'm afraid of having it done." I tell them to come in. We do offer free screenings for laser vision correction and it allows them to meet us. We go through all the testing and we go through really very extensive testing to see if they are a good candidate for the procedure.

Kent Kirk, MDOne of the biggest reasons that I tell people they're not a candidate is because of either it's not a safe procedure for them, their cornea is too thin, or their correction is such that we can't do it. I am very quick to let them know whether it's a safe procedure for them or not. I really offer LASIK as an alternative to glasses and contacts, and I think that's the way people need to think about it. I never push people into it. I encourage them to consider it, to understand that it is an alternative, and to not do the procedure until they're really ready.