Monovision LASIK

Lasik Over 50?

LASIK can treat a very broad range of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The best way to determine who is a good candidate is with a thorough eye exam. Candidates must be 18 years of age or older and have had little to no change to their prescription within 1-2 years, be in good general health, and have good eye health with no diseases such as cataracts or glaucoma. Good candidates should have realistic expectations about what LASIK can and cannot do.

If you are in your 50s or beyond, you may start noticing that reading and other close-up tasks are not quite as easy as they used to be. Even people who have enjoyed perfect vision their entire lives can suddenly find themselves holding menus a little farther away or reaching for reading glasses. This is a natural part of aging called presbyopia. As the eye's natural lens becomes less flexible, it becomes harder to focus clearly on things up close.

Traditionally, presbyopia has been corrected with reading glasses, bifocals, progressive lenses, or monovision contact lenses. Today, monovision can also be achieved through laser vision correction.

Monovision LASIK corrects one eye for distance and the other eye for near vision. Your brain then learns to use each eye for the distance that it sees best. You may use your distance eye for driving or watching television and your near eye for reading, using your phone, or working on a computer. There is an adjustment period, but many patients adapt well to this approach.

If you have adjusted easily to changes in your glasses prescription or bifocals in the past, you may adapt well to monovision. If you do not think you would enjoy having each eye focused at a different distance, correcting both eyes for distance may be a better option.

If you are younger than 50, you may not need reading glasses after LASIK, but presbyopia will eventually become part of your vision story. If you are 45 or older and do not want monovision LASIK, we can correct both eyes for distance, but you should expect to use reading glasses for close-up vision. For some patients 45 and older who want to reduce their dependence on glasses for both distance and near vision, a lens-based procedure such as clear lens exchange may be another option to discuss with your surgeon.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to vision correction. Your lifestyle, activities, and personal vision goals all matter. Our surgeons and LASIK Coordinator can help you understand your options and find the approach that makes the most sense for you.

Further Reading on Lasik