LASIKblog

Correction of presbyopia (the need for reading glasses after age 42) has long been considered the "holy grail" of laser vision. We feel the most promising approach is multi-focal ablation, that is, creating a laser pattern in the cornea somewhat like a bifocal glasses lens. Some progress has been made, especially in Canadian studies, but the procedure has been slow in making its way to the U.S. This suggests that multifocal ablations are not quite ready for prime time, and we really don't know if presbyopic corrections are months, or years, away. Other approaches have been to implant synthetic lenses in the central cornea, or replace the crystalline lens inside the eye with a "focusing" intraocular lens. Both approaches seem more invasive than multi-focal ablations, and much more work needs to be done before they gain acceptance by most ophthalmologists. Those waiting for the perfect method to correct both distance and near vision may have a long wait. In the mean time, reading glasses, or monovision (one eye corrected for distance, and one for near), seem to be reasonable alternatives.

Mitchell Friedlaender, M.D.
Scripps Clinic Laser Vision Center
La Jolla, CA
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