What is PresbyLasik?
PresbyLASIK is an experimental type of laser vision correction that changes the shape of the cornea to create corrections in near and far vision. It is also called multifocal LASIK because of the ability to correct vision on multiple focal levels. PresbyLASIK is used to correct presbyopia, a condition in which the loss of eye lens elasticity causes inability to focus sharp near vision. It is different from monovision lasik in that it preserves distance vision while improving new vision!
PresbyLASIK has not yet been approved by the FDA. The only way to receive this procedure in the US is to enroll in a formal study to test the effectiveness and safety of it. So far, the outcome of the procedure has been positive, particularly for individuals who were farsighted and who had developed presbyopia due to old age.
How is PresbyLASIK performed?
With PresbyLASIK, laser energy reshapes your eye’s clear surface into different zones. The laser light is bent or refracted differently in each zone so that both near and distance vision can be achieved simultaneously. Since PresbyLASIK is still in its investigational phases, different approaches are being studied to figure out how the eye should be shaped to attain the best possible vision correction for presbyopes.
Research trials have shown the procedure to be most successful in adding close vision back into the repertoire of farsighted patients. For those that are nearsighted and presbyopic, different eye shape configurations are being studied. In some cases, near vision correction is provided in the central zone of the cornea, and in others, it is established in the peripheral area.
Another method of PresbyLASIK adds aspheric corrections to the eye’s surface. Aspheric shapes are thought to help reduce aberrations or vision distortions that usually can be associated with vision correction.
Although it is possible to find surgeons performing PresbyLASIK on patients outside the United States, the procedure is generally considered “not ready for primetime.” However, with technology always evolving, it may not be long before we have this procedure available.
What might go wrong after having PresbyLASIK?
Studies have shown that some presbyopic individuals are able to read without contact lenses or glasses within 10-15 minutes of having PresbyLASIK. If you had normal vision except for presbyopia prior to a procedure, you might notice that immediately after PresbyLASIK, your vision will be blurry when looking at things from afar. This problem may not go away over time. You may increase your risk of developing reduced contrast sensitivity and/or a tendency to see halos around lights at night. If contrast sensitivity is lost, your ability to distinguish objects on backgrounds with similar colors may diminish. However some studies have found that any loss of contrast sensitivity associated with presby LASIK may only be temporary.
Like many other vision correction procedures, studies have shown that PresbyLASIK is unlikely to provide a permanent solution to vision problems related to presbyopia. As the eye changes, future surgical enhancements may be needed.
