Do You Need Reading Glasses After Laser Eye Surgery

Posted by: Dakota Eye Institute in Uncategorized on January 4, 2022

Without a doubt the biggest benefit to laser eye surgery is the ability to walk out of the surgeon’s office with 20/20 vision. LASIK, Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, is a corrective surgery to treat all types of refractive eye problems. In eyes with normal vision, the cornea refracts light precisely onto the retina at the back of the eye. But with nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) or astigmatism, the light is bent incorrectly, resulting in blurred vision. During a laser eye procedure, the cornea is reshaped to correct these conditions. Because the cornea has been changed permanently, the ability to see clearly due to LASIK should last a lifetime. 

If the procedure is effective, do you need reading glasses after laser eye surgery? Possibly, but not likely. The high success rate of laser eye surgery is due to the reshaping of the cornea, fixing the current problem of blurred vision. Most surgeons will recommend that a patient’s prescription be stabilized for at least 12 months prior to laser eye surgery. However, other factors can attribute to the need for reading glasses post laser eye surgery that are not due to a faulty or ineffective procedure. 

Laser eye surgery does not prevent your eyes from aging. Most laser eye surgeries are used to correct distance or refractive visions errors. The inability or difficulty to see things clearly relatively close to the eyes is most often due to age, starting around 40 years old, resulting in a condition known as presbyopia, in which the ciliary eye muscles lose some of the elasticity that are needed to focus on objects up close. Symptoms include a noticeable difference in your ability to see finite details in low light, including driving at night, and generally blurry vision when reading close-up. The good news is that reading glasses can provide a simple fix and there are surgery options available as well. Every now and then, patients experience what is known as progression, where the improvement to their eyesight following laser eye surgery lessens over time. This is caused by the lengthening or the eye or changes to the lens, not the cornea that was altered during laser eye surgery. 

Rest assured, if you are experiencing mild changes to your vision and require reading glasses after laser eye surgery, it is likely caused by the natural complications of aging and there are solutions to help. To learn more about laser eye surgery, all its benefits, and other frequently asked questions, Dakota Eye Institute can be reached at 701-222-3937 or WEBSITE.