Presbyopia is a normal age-related condition that typically starts to develop when patients are in their 40s. This loss of focus for near objects occurs because the eye’s internal lens thickens and loses its flexibility. This will affect all patients eventually, including those who have had LASIK surgery.
Patients typically undergo laser eye surgery to reduce or completely eliminate their need for contact lenses and glasses. In reality, most patients with excellent distance vision will eventually require reading glasses at some point in their future. While laser eye surgery effectively treats farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism, it does not prevent normal aging. All patients will eventually develop presbyopia, a normal age-related condition that causes blurry near vision and the need for reading glasses.
While laser eye surgery effectively treats farsightedness, nearsightedness and astigmatism, it does not prevent normal aging.
The main treatment for presbyopia is to wear reading glasses, which can be purchased over the counter.
The “blended vision” option for older patients
If you’re over 40 and considering LASIK, there are options available, depending on each person’s personal preference.
Some patients choose to correct both eyes for maximum distance viewing and are satisfied to wear over-the-counter reading glasses.
An alternative is to correct one eye for maximum distance viewing and the second eye for maximum intermediate or near viewing. This is called ‘blended vision’ to give patients their maximum freedom from glasses for both distance and near activities. It is important that the difference in correction between the two eyes is not too great, which could disrupt binocular vision and depth perception. Blended vision tends to give patients excellent distance vision and casual near ability to see a cell phone, wrist watch, etc. However, as patients continue to age, it’s expected that the near vision continues to deteriorate, and most patients will eventually require near vision glasses for most close activities.
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