Dear doctor, what are my options for correcting my vision?
03 July 2018
I am in my 50s and although I’ve worn contact lenses for short-sightedness for years, I’ve recently also started wearing reading glasses. What are my options for correcting my vision?
The treatment options available for correcting vision are much more diverse than people believe. It is commonly assumed that laser surgery is the best option but as we reach our fifties, lens replacement procedures have many more benefits for vision correction than laser eye surgery.
At the age of 45, the natural lens within the eye loses its functionality and becomes more rigid. As a result, people may notice that objects and text that are held close by become more blurred. This is called presbyopia.
With modern lifestyles and particularly with the advent of mobile phones, we are used to varying our point of focus from far to near at an instant. The desire to regain the vision when we were young and to be spectacle or contact lens independent is now increasingly common. Thankfully this is achievable with surgery.
Laser eye surgery may be an option if you are able to adapt to having one eye set for near and one eye set for distance - a technique called mono vision.
If, following testing, you are unable to adapt to this then lens exchange is an excellent solution. Modern intra-ocular lens designs allow for vision to be corrected at far, intermediate and near with the use of trifocal lens technology. The surgery takes no more than 10 minutes to perform and is very similar to cataract surgery which is one of the most common procedures in the world. The use of premium lens technology allows for the vision to be fully restored.
Lens replacement is a proven, permanent procedure for correcting any prescription, be it long or short sight and astigmatism.
Find out more about our free vision correction information evening with Consultant Ophthalmologist Mr Rakesh Jayaswal.
The content of this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the professional medical advice of your doctor or other health care professional.