What is Presbyopia?
As we age, the eye’s natural lens becomes too stiff to focus up close. With our hardening lens, words and other nearby objects appear blurry. The clinical term for this loss of reading vision is presbyopia. 100% of the population becomes presbyopic as they enter their 40s.
There are a number of options to treat presbyopia and restore reading vision, including ZEISS ReLEx SMILE, LASIK, PRK, Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), and Intraocular Collamer Lens (ICL) with monovision and multifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs).
Presbyopia Treatment Candidacy
In order to match the right procedure with the right patient, you will undergo a complimentary consultation. During the consultation, you will experience the following:
- A lifestyle assessment to identify how you would like to see following your procedure
- Diagnostic tests to determine which procedure(s) you are a candidate for
- A meeting with a Herzig Eye Institute doctor
Monovision
Monovision is a treatment option where one eye is corrected for distance while the non-dominant eye is left undercorrected to see up close. The brain integrates the visual information from both eyes and adjusts to have each eye focus at a different distance. This adjustment period can happen immediately or take up to a few weeks. Monovision can be achieved with all of our High Definition Vision® solutions.
Intraocular Treatment Options for Presbyopia
Reading vision can be restored with any of our intraocular procedures, including Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE), Intraocular Collamer Lens (ICL), and Precision Refractive Cataract Surgery. The advanced intraocular lenses (IOL) available today can correct refractive error to provide amazing near vision.
Monofocal IOL
- Provides high quality vision at one focal point – usually distance.
- May be combined with monovision.
Monofocal+ IOL
- Provides high quality vision at distance and intermediate, can be combined with mini-monovision.
- Reduced dependency on reading glasses.
Continuous Range of Vision / Trifocal IOL
- Provides the ability to focus at near, intermediate, and far.
- Dependence on glasses is reduced significantly.
Toric IOL (Astigmatism)
- A toric IOL provides the added benefit of correcting pre-existing astigmatism.
- All IOLs have a toric lens option to correct for astigmatism.
PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision
PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision is similar to monovision. The dominant eye is corrected for distance vision and the non-dominant eye is corrected to be slightly nearsighted for close up vision. Both eyes are treated to ensure balance of vision.
A customized fusion of the two images for near and distance vision is created for each patient – this is called the ‘Blend Zone’. The Blend Zone makes it easy for the brain to merge the images of both eyes, achieving true binocular vision. As an optimized laser method for age-related loss of reading vision, PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision is ideal for treating patients 40-60 years of age.
Presbyopia Treatment Candidacy
During your comprehensive consultation, you will undergo diagnostic testing to determine your candidacy for a procedure to restore your reading vision. To understand what procedure may be the right fit for you, you will meet with one of our experienced Refractive Consultants to discuss your vision goals, ask any questions you might have, share the results of your diagnostics and eye examination, book your procedure date, and discuss any pre-operative considerations and instructions.
