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Monovision can provide good near acuity for motivated LASIK patients
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NEW YORK — Monovision can be a viable solution for LASIK patients older than 40 years, provided they receive appropriate counseling and have reasonable expectations for success.
Mature patients are involved in more activities requiring near vision, according to Elizabeth A. Davis, MD, who spoke at OSN New York 2009.
"Many of these activities are increasing for us, a lot of technology ... computer work, cell phones, texting ... distance acuity is less involved with a lot of today's activities," she said.
With full monovision, the near eye is corrected for reading vision; modified monovision corrects it for intermediate vision. Uncrossed monovision, in which the dominant eye is corrected for distance, and cross monovision, in which the non-dominant eye is corrected for distance, are options as well, Dr. Davis said.
"There is a more significant higher enhancement rate in patients with LASIK. They really need to have their distance eye on target. So you'll see many more 20/25 patients with monovision getting an enhancement because that's all they have to depend upon for clarity in the distance," she said.
Limitations to monovision include reduced visual performance under dim lighting conditions. Patients with strong sighting preference tend not to fare as well because they are unable to reduce ocular blur, she said.
There is a good success rate in motivated patients, she said, and the best candidates have near perfect acuity in the distance eye. Dr. Davis said she tells those patients, "You're going to be 85% of the time free of glasses."
OSN New York 2010 will be held November 19-21, 2010 at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers in New York City. Learn more at OSNNY.com.