If you’re tired of constantly reaching for reading glasses or struggling with bifocals, you may wonder whether LASIK eye surgery could provide the visual freedom you’ve been seeking. The answer involves understanding how LASIK works, what causes near vision problems, and the realistic expectations for this procedure.
Continue reading to discover whether LASIK can eliminate your need for reading glasses.
What is LASIK?
LASIK is a vision correction surgery that reshapes the cornea to help light focus properly on the retina. The procedure addresses refractive errors, including nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, by permanently reshaping the corneal tissue.
During the 10-to-20-minute procedure, advanced laser technology creates a thin flap in the cornea, allowing for precise reshaping of the underlying tissue. This corrects how light enters your eye, significantly improving vision for most patients.
Many patients achieve 20/20 vision or better, with approximately 90% of LASIK patients experiencing vision between 20/20 and 20/40 without the need for visual aids following their procedure.
Why Do Patients Need Reading Glasses?
Patients may require reading glasses for a variety of reasons, including:
Farsightedness
If you are farsighted, you will likely need glasses for close-up activities, such as reading. Farsightedness typically occurs when the cornea is too flat, or the eye is too short, causing light to hit the back of the retina rather than the center.
This results in blurry vision at near distances. However, LASIK can correct farsightedness by reshaping the cornea to refract light onto the center of the retina, reducing or eliminating your need for reading glasses.
Presbyopia
The primary reason people require reading glasses after age 40 is presbyopia, an age-related condition that affects near vision. Presbyopia occurs when the eye’s natural lens becomes less flexible over time.
This reduced flexibility makes it difficult for your eyes to focus on close objects, meaning you may need reading glasses for activities like reading, using your phone, or working on detailed tasks. Because this condition affects the natural lens rather than the cornea, traditional LASIK cannot correct presbyopia.
If you have presbyopia and want to reduce your reliance on reading glasses, your eye doctor may recommend alternative vision correction procedures such as:
RLE
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is a procedure that involves removing the natural lens and replacing it with a corrective intraocular lens. Rosenthal Eye Surgery offers advanced intraocular lenses, including the Light Adjustable Lens, TECNIS Odyssey, and Eyhance, each offering different visual benefits tailored to your personal needs and goals.
PresbyLASIK
They may also recommend PresbyLASIK or monovision LASIK, a specialized technique that corrects one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision, allowing your brain to automatically select the appropriate eye for different tasks. Monovision can dramatically reduce your need for reading glasses, though it may involve a brief adjustment period as your brain adapts to this new visual system.
KAMRA
The KAMRA corneal inlay is a procedure that involves placing a small implant in the first few layers of the cornea, designed with a hole in the center. This ‘pinhole’ effect enables a wider range of vision and enhances your focusing abilities after the procedure.
During your comprehensive consultation, Dr. Rosenthal will assess whether PresbyLASIK, KAMRA, or RLE is suitable for your lifestyle and visual needs.
LASIK’s Impact on Reading Vision
For patients with farsightedness, LASIK can eliminate the need for reading glasses if their near vision problems are caused by refractive errors. Younger patients with nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism often find that LASIK provides excellent vision at all distances for decades.
However, you may still develop presbyopia as you age, even after your refractive errors have been corrected. This means that even after successful LASIK, reading glasses may still be necessary for tasks that require close-up vision.
You may also require reading glasses if you develop other age-related eye conditions, such as cataracts, macular degeneration, or glaucoma. The key to satisfaction with any vision correction procedure lies in establishing realistic expectations.
Dr. Rosenthal conducts thorough consultations where he carefully measures your eyes and discusses your needs and expectations in detail. This personalized approach ensures that you understand exactly what LASIK can and cannot achieve for your specific situation.
Ready to learn more about how LASIK could improve your vision? Schedule your appointment at Rosenthal Eye Surgery in Long Island, NY, today!
