Farsightedness

LASIK for Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

In farsightedness (or hyperopia), light that enters the eye focuses at a point behind the retina because the eye is too short, or the cornea is too flat. To correct hyperopia, the surgeon reshapes the sides (mid-periphery) of the cornea in order to steepen the central region. This permits the light entering the eye to focus on the retina, instead of behind it.

Eye doctors use the term hyperopia for people who need reading glasses (and occasionally distance glasses) before the age of about 40 years old. This type of farsightedness can be treated with the laser to give most patients excellent distance and reading vision without glasses.

Why is “farsightedness” so confusing?

Hyperopia is often confused with presbyopia. Presbyopia occurs as a natural aging process. As we get older, we lose the flexibility of the lens inside the eye, which makes it difficult to focus up close. This is the reason people start to need reading glasses over the age of about 40 years old. Because the changes happening with presbyopia are occurring inside the eye, reshaping the cornea with laser surgery will not solve the problem. Excimer laser treatment cannot eliminate the need for reading glasses unless one eye is made nearsighted to improve its reading ability. This would blur the distance vision somewhat in that eye. We call this option monovision.

Laser Vision Correction of farsightedness has been FDA-approved since 1998. We have been performing this procedure prior to its approval by special permission from the FDA on an investigational basis. Treating farsightedness has now become a routine procedure similar to treating nearsightedness. Farsighted (or hyperopic) patients under 40 can generally achieve both excellent distant and near vision after laser vision correction. For those farsighted patients over 40 we can usually give them excellent distance vision and markedly improved reading vision, but they will still need reading glasses for some activities as they get older. One option for both farsighted and nearsighted patients over 40 who want to reduce their dependence on reading glasses is monovision.

Another option to preserve reading vision after age 45-50 is the crystalens®.