What happens if the assessment says I am not suitable?
The clinician should tell you why, and what would change the answer if anything would: treating a dry surface first, waiting for the prescription to stabilise, or choosing a different procedure or a lens-based option. A refusal without a reason is an incomplete assessment.
- Subject
- Surgery journey
- Topic
- Eligibility & assessment
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
A clinic declining to operate is a positive signal about how it works rather than a wasted appointment. It is also worth knowing that being unsuitable at one clinic does not mean the same at the next, because surgeons work to different limits.
What this answer depends on
- The specific finding that ruled it out
- Whether it can be treated or waited out
- Whether another procedure would be appropriate
Related guides
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under The surgery journey in Eligibility & assessment . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- DHA circular on the scope of practice for ophthalmologists performing laser refractive surgery
A Dubai Health Authority circular addressing how laser refractive surgery sits within the licensed scope of practice for ophthalmologists in Dubai.
Used for Explaining that refractive surgery is a regulated activity in Dubai.
Link checked 22 September 2026
- Laser In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK)
The equivalent clinical reference chapter for LASIK, used so that comparisons describe both procedures symmetrically.
Used for How LASIK creates and manages a corneal flap; LASIK complication categories.
Link checked 22 September 2026