Custom iLASIK: Laser Treatment for Presbyopia
As we age, we gradually lose our natural ability to adjust our focus from far to near. This normal, unavoidable condition is called presbyopia. Most adults develop presbyopia between the ages of 40 and 50 years old. If you are in this age group and have begun to notice that reading small print up-close has become difficult, presbyopia is likely the culprit.
The good news is that iLASIK, which is normally used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness and/or astigmatism, can also be customized to treat presbyopia through a technique called monovision. Also known as blended vision, this procedure corrects one eye so that it can see in the distance and the other eye so that it can see up-close. Individuals who adapt well to monovision should not need reading glasses to see up-close or any other type of glasses to see far away, as long as both eyes are open.
Monovision works well in about 50 percent of patients who try it. The other 50 percent often still require reading glasses to see perfectly up-close because they cannot adapt to monovision. At Austin Eye, we typically offer monovision to patients who have successfully proven that they can function with monovision while wearing contact lenses.
To learn more about the changes in vision that occur due to the normal aging process, as well as how customized monovision iLASIK may be able to help, contact Austin Eye today.
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