Which Visual Impairments Can be Treated with Laser Eye Surgery?
Laser Eye Surgery has successfully treated the visual problems of people all over the world for decades. Originally suitable for correcting only a limited range of prescriptions, significant advancements in technology and surgeon expertise mean that it is now suitable for more people than ever before. But which visual impairments can be treated with Laser Eye Surgery?
Poor vision can be caused by a wide range of issues with the eyes. For example, many people’s corneas are shaped in a way that causes light to be ineffectively reflected into the eye. Other people might develop a condition that impairs their vision over time. And so, there are a huge number of possible reasons you may be wondering if Laser Eye Surgery could help to improve your vision.
So, let’s take a closer look at the visual impairments that can be treated with Laser Eye Surgery…
Myopia (Short-Sightedness)
Also known as short-sightedness or near-sightedness, myopia refers to refractive errors that make it difficult to focus on objects at a distance. For example, while your close-up reading vision may be fine, you might struggle to read road signs or the numbers on buses.
When an eye is functioning efficiently, the lens and cornea work together to focus light entering the eye onto the retina (the photosensitive layer at the back of the eye). The information from the retina is then sent to the brain via the optic nerve where it can be processed into a clear picture of the world around us.
Short-sightedness occurs when the cornea reflects light short of the retina. This may be a result of the cornea being too curved or the eyeball itself being too long – this is also known as astigmatism (more on this later!).
Laser Eye Surgery for Myopia
The first Laser Eye Surgery procedures were performed on myopic eyes. To correct the refractive error, an ultra-precise laser is used to reshape the cornea, changing the way light is reflected into the eye. In short, specific areas of the cornea are removed to ensure light no longer sits short of the retina.
To find out more about Laser Eye Surgery for myopia, take a look at our recent blog, “Laser Eye Surgery for Myopia (Short-Sightedness)“.
Hyperopia (Long-Sightedness)
Also known as long-sightedness or far-sightedness, hyperopia is another common refractive error. It is essentially the opposite of myopia in that patients with this error are able to clearly distinguish objects at a distance but are unable to make out details in objects that are close to them. For example, if you have hyperopia, you might find it difficult to read books or complete close-up tasks without the help of glasses or contact lenses.
Long-sightedness occurs when light is reflected into the eye beyond the retina – again due to an abnormality in the shape of the cornea or the eyeball itself.
Laser Eye Surgery for Hyperopia
As Laser Eye Surgery continued to advance, it soon became possible to expand into the treatment of hyperopia. To correct the error, a laser is again employed to change the shape of the cornea. Pre-determined areas of the cornea are removed to change the way light is reflected into the eye, ensuring it sits efficiently on the retina.
To find out more, take a look at our blog, “Laser Eye Surgery for Hyperopia (Long-Sightedness)“.
Astigmatism
As we mentioned earlier, astigmatism occurs when the eyeball or the cornea is shaped abnormally. For example, while a healthy eyeball is spherically shaped – like a football – astigmatic eyes are slightly longer or shorter than they should be – more like a rugby ball. There are two types of astigmatism:
- Horizontal astigmatism (when the eye is wider than it is tall)
- Vertical astigmatism (when the eye is taller than it is wide)
Astigmatism can occur alongside myopia or hyperopia. However, astigmatism causes blurry vision at both near and distance vision, as light is directed both in front of and beyond the retina.
Laser Eye Surgery for Astigmatism
Treating astigmatism involves corrections in more than one plane, making it more complex than treating myopia or hyperopia. Nevertheless, this can often be achieved successfully with Laser Eye Surgery. Laser technology is used to remove specific areas of the cornea to correct the curvature of the eye. Once completed, the treatment should allow light to be focused efficiently onto the retina.
To learn more about how Laser Eye Surgery can treat this refractive error, take a look at our blog, “Laser Eye Surgery for Astigmatism“.
Presbyopia
Also known as “ageing eyes” due to its onset in middle age, presbyopia is a normal part of the ageing process. As we get older, the eyes’ natural lenses begin to harden, making them less flexible. At the same time, the muscles in the eye begin to lose some of their power. As a result, we are unable to focus as well as we used to.
Presbyopia manifests as poor reading vision – that is, the inability to focus effectively on near objects. This is why most people will eventually rely on reading glasses as they get older.
Laser Eye Surgery for Presbyopia
Laser Eye Surgery for presbyopia is a relatively new development. The technique – known as PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision – was developed by our very own Professor Dan Reinstein and introduced at the London Vision Clinic back in 2009.
While the general approach is the same, PRESBYOND® works in a slightly different way to other Laser Eye Surgery procedures. That’s because PRESBYOND® involves correcting each eye in a different way: One eye is corrected mainly for near vision and a little for distance, the other is corrected mainly for distance vision and a little for near.
This technique creates a “blend zone”. As the brain adjusts to this new way of seeing, it is soon able to combine these images to achieve clear vision across all distances! To learn more about Laser Eye Surgery for presbyopia, take a look at our blog, “PRESBYOND® Laser Blended Vision: A Unique Treatment for Presbyopia“.
Problems That Can’t be Treated with Laser Eye Surgery
Unfortunately, while Laser Eye Surgery can now be used to effectively treat the four common refractive errors mentioned above, it cannot treat all causes of visual impairment.
For example, conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma require ongoing treatment to limit development and manage symptoms. Moreover, problems such as keratoconus and amblyopia (lazy eye) cannot be treated with Laser Eye Surgery.
But not all of these conditions will make you unsuitable for Laser Eye Surgery treatment to correct any of the refractive errors mentioned above. Of course, every patient -and their eyes – is different. The only way to be sure whether Laser Eye Surgery could be an option for you is to attend a comprehensive consultation with an expert.
If you’d like to find out whether Laser Eye Surgery could help to correct your visual impairment, get in touch with one of our friendly clinic coordinators or Book a Consultation today!