Monovision

Monovision giving patients over 40 years old a result that provides excellent overall distance vision with minimal or no requirement for reading glasses.

Monovision is a popular concept in laser vision correction for patients over 40 to minimize the need for near vision or reading glasses after the procedure. The progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects with age, known as presbyopia, is due to a loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye. Since corrective laser procedures treat the cornea and not the lens, this aging process cannot be reversed through laser correction. A common work around for presbyopia is monovision, or similarly referred to as blended vision by some laser vision correction facilities. The concept of monovision is very simple. For patients wearing progressive or bi-focal glasses or contact lenses, the dominant eye is corrected fully for 100% distance improvement while the non-dominant eye is targeted to provide functional near vision. The human brain generally adjusts very well to the slight difference between the two eyes, giving patients over 40 years old a result that provides excellent overall distance vision with minimal or no requirement for reading glasses following laser vision correction.

The concept of monovision is discussed with all patients over 40 at their free consultation. Some patients with mild myopic conditions under -2.00 will even choose to have only their dominant treated for distance, leaving the non-dominant uncorrected to preserve near vision. Monovision is most popular with patients who do a lot of office and computer work. Monovision is not unique to laser vision correction - it has been successful with many contact lens wearers over 40 for decades. At London Eye Centre, if a patient opts for monovision with laser vision correction and is not satisfied, the near vision eye can be adjusted to full distance with a retreatment procedure at any time.

Laser Correction for Presbyopic Patients

Patients who have never required distance correction and began needing reading glasses only after 40 years old can consider monovision as well. These patients would have only the non-dominant eye treated and targeted for better near vision while leaving the dominant eye untreated to preserve good distance vision. This does not reverse the presbyopia aging, but rather compensates for it. It is strongly advised to test this option with a trial contact lens in one eye to determine if this option is suitable prior to proceeding with any treatment.

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