
According to recent stats, almost 90 million Americans above 40 suffer from vision and eye problems. They want a balance between distant and near sight and have a quest to ditch the glasses. Fortunately, with the advancement of technology, there is an innovative solution ‘’Monovision LASIK’’ that promises you this glasses-free lifestyle. But it comes with its own drawbacks. So, before jumping into this procedure, you must explore all the pros and cons of this procedure explained in this blog and decide afterward if this approach is right for you or not.
Before diving into the detailed benefits and risks of this procedure, first, let’s see what monovision LASIK actually is.
What Is Monovision LASIK?
It is a vision correction technique that corrects one eye for distance vision and one for near vision. Usually, the non-dominant eye is set for near vision, and the dominant eye is set for distance vision. This procedure treats all age-related vision problems, and your eyes naturally sync to see clearly at all distances without the need for glasses or contact lenses. This procedure can treat presbyopia, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.
Pros of Monovision LASIK
If you choose this treatment for your vision correction, you can benefit from the following advantages:
1.Very Less Pain
The best thing about this procedure is that you will feel very little discomfort during and after the process. This is because of advancements in LASIK technology that make this procedure almost pain-free.
2. Quick Procedure
This entire procedure takes about only 30 minutes, which means each eye is treated within a couple of minutes. This is a huge benefit as you can resume your daily life activities soon without any major delay.
3. Cost-effective
As compared to other forms of refractive eye surgery, it is a very cost-effective treatment. Other than the initial cost, it will save you from the expenses of glasses and contact lenses in the long run. Once you calculate your LASIK savings, you will be satisfied that this surgical procedure is a financially sensible choice.
4. Reduce Dependence on Glasses
One of the primary advantages of this method is its convenience. You can easily see both clear and far distances without the need for glasses or lenses. This enhances your overall quality of life.
5. Best Results
There are a lot of success stories related to this surgical procedure. According to a study, more than 88% of patients get an improved near equity to 20/40 or even better with this LASIK. Other than that, the success rate of far vision is also very impressive.
Disadvantages of Monovision Cataract Surgery
Now, let us consider some of the side effects of monovision that may occur with the results:
1. Temporary Vision Issue
In the initial days after surgery, you may experience distorted vision. It will take some time as your brain needs to learn to switch between both eyes for different visions. Meanwhile, you may experience blurry vision or fluctuations in clarity that can lead to distress.
2. Reduced Depth Perception
As both your eyes will focus on different distances, it will become difficult to judge long distances and will result in reduced depth perception. This will make activities like driving or sports challenging for you. However, the benefits of clear vision are so high that they can easily outweigh this disadvantage.
3. Intensive Recovery Period
Though this procedure has quick recovery time, for some patients this period becomes quite intensive as well. If the adaptation period lasts longer than a few days, you need to take extra care and go for regular follow-up visits with your eye care specialist. They will address all the concerns ensuring that your eyes are adapting well.
4. Not Suitable for every Occupation
If you are a pilot, professional athlete, truck driver, or any other occupation that demands constant clear vision, this LASIK procedure would not be suitable for you. Therefore, first, evaluate your job requirements and discuss them with your eye doctor to clarify if monovision is a suitable option for you or not.
5. Risk of Eye Strain
Because of the different focal points of each eye, you may suffer from eye strain after this LASIK procedure. Your brain needs to work harder resulting in fatigue, headache and feeling of heaviness around the eyes. Particularly, the eye strain will be higher during reading and screen time.
6. The Pulfrich Effect
If your brain can not process input from both eyes at the same time, you will experience the Pulfrich effect, named after German scientist Carl Pulfrich, who discovered it. This effect is quite relevant to LASIK surgery. It can cause trouble judging distances and movement directions and can lead to dangerous situations, especially when driving.
Conclusion
After reading the above pros and cons of Monovision LASIK, you will know if you are the right candidate for this procedure. You can also get a personalized assessment from a well-reputed eyecare center like Eye LASIK Austin, where the specialists will better examine and assess your eye condition. So, do not compromise on your natural vision, and take a step today towards a better lifestyle!
FAQS
This procedure is especially good for people over the age of 40 who do not want to rely on glasses or contact lenses. However, a thorough eye exam is essential to check the suitability of this process for every patient.
Doctors use a laser to reshape the cornea and correct the vision of each eye according to its requirements. This is a quick procedure that causes minimal discomfort to the patient.
It provides long lasting results. Many patients get good vision for more than 10 years. Regular eye exams are important to enhance the effectiveness of this procedure.
Common side effects of this LASIK surgery include dry eyes, increased sensitivity to light, halos, glare and other visual disturbances.