Why Should You Get Laser Eye Surgery Over 40?

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to Laser Eye Surgery. From prospective patients being terrified of pain during the procedure, to the supposed limits of the treatment. For example, many people believe that once you reach middle age and inevitably begin to need reading glasses, your window for getting the most out of Laser Eye Surgery has passed.

You might have heard that Laser Eye Surgery cannot counteract the effects of ageing on the eyes. You may well have believed that lens implants are the only way to do away with your reading glasses and contact lenses for good.

But this simply isn’t the case.

The Curse of Ageing Eyes

In the past, limitations on Laser Eye Surgery have meant that it was not an option for many patients. For example, patients with high or complicated prescriptions and patients with presbyopia (ageing eyes), may well have been deemed unsuitable for the procedure.

Presbyopia is a natural part of the body’s ageing process. It occurs when the natural lenses in our eyes become less flexible as we get older. As a result, it becomes less effective at focusing light on the retina – the photosensitive layer at the back of the eye.

At the same time, the muscles in our eyes that used to be effective in pulling the lens into focus also become weaker. This makes it more difficult for our eyes to focus at different distances, especially affecting our near or reading vision. Typically, these effects set in between the ages of 40 and 60.

Until relatively recently, Laser Eye Surgery wasn’t able to treat presbyopia. Patients instead would be advised to stick with their reading glasses or contacts. Of course, reading glasses are far from a popular option, with many people ignoring their progressively failing vision and delaying a solution.

Alternatively, individuals may consider monovision, intra-ocular lenses (IOLs), and clear lens exchange (CLE). But while these surgical approaches to presbyopia correction are often effective, they are invasive procedures that carry a heightened risk of complications. But many don’t realise that there is a better option.

A New Era for Laser Eye Surgery

Thankfully, technological advancements mean that Laser Eye Surgery can now correct more refractive errors than ever before. In fact, at the London Vision Clinic, we have been correcting presbyopia for over two decades!

This is all thanks to a revolutionary approach to vision correction: PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision. PRESBYOND was developed by our very own Professor Dan Reinstein who began offering the innovative treatment at London Vision Clinic way back in 2004. By 2009, Carl Zeiss Meditec incorporated the treatment into their laser programming, making it available at other Laser Eye Surgery clinics.

How Does it Work?

PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision is performed in the same way as any other kind of laser eye correction. However, it differs in that while the correction of myopia (short-sightedness) and hyperopia (long-sightedness) involves correcting both eyes in the same way, in PRESBYOND, each eye is corrected differently.

The treatment adjusts the eyes so that one eye works primarily at distance but a little close-up, whilst the other eye works primarily close-up but also a little at distance. This allows your brain to combine the images from each eye creating a “blend zone”. The result? Patients are once again to see clearly across all distances!

Of course, it can take a while for your brain to adjust to this new way of seeing. However, research shows that PRESBYOND is ultimately tolerated by around 97% of patients. Compare this with monovision, for which tolerability is much lower (around 70%).

Moreover, PRESBYOND is a much less invasive procedure, meaning a lower risk of complications both during and after surgery. It is, therefore, an option for a much larger group of patients and offers a significantly greater chance of more years of clear and complication-free vision.

Countering the Effects of Time…

The fact is, there is no longer an upper age limit for Laser Eye Surgery. In fact, patients with presbyopia may have more to gain from the treatment than those yet to experience the frustration of deteriorating reading vision.

Since its introduction in 2004, PRESBYOND has successfully countered the effects of ageing eyes for thousands of patients:

• Over 98% of PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision patients can read normal newsprint (‘N8’).
• Over 90% of PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision patients can read the small print on medicine bottle inserts.

Being the original provider of PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision, we can provide treatment to correct not only long and short-sightedness (with or without astigmatism) but presbyopia too. But this still isn’t the norm at many clinics.

So, if you’re over 40 and have been wondering if Laser Eye Surgery could be an option for you – wonder no more! It is highly likely you will be suitable for Laser Eye Surgery, no matter your age. There’s only one way to find out.

To learn more about PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision and the other treatments available at the London Vision Clinic, get in touch or Book a Consultation today!