Your reading glasses
I have many years experience of treating reading glasses dependence with two technologies – lens implants and laser. Surgery is at centres of excellence with high procedure volumes and superb equipment. You will see me at your initial consultation and at your follow-ups. Eyesite’s fee includes whatever type of customised lens implant is best for you, no matter how sophisticated. If laser is more suitable for you, the Alcon Wavelight Refractive Suite will be used with ‘monovision’ – a type of correction specifically designed for freedom from reading glasses.
Dependency on reading glasses – Presbyopia
Most people become dependent on reading glasses as they get older. The technical term for this is ‘presbyopia’. The lens inside the eye becomes less flexible with time and so cannot focus on close objects. Presbyopia is a manifestation of getting older not a disease, but it often causes great inconvenience. It may occur on its own or with other focus defects such as short sight.
Laser
All-laser Wavefront Lasik with the Alcon Wavelight Refractive Suite treats reading glasses by ‘monovision’. One eye is made slightly short sighted so it can read whilst the other eye is focused for perfect distance vision. If you are suitable for this technique, vision from your eyes blends seamlessly so glasses aren’t needed at all.
Lens implants
This very effective method is the removal of the natural lens of the eye and is replacement by an artificial lens implant. The new lens is a high-tech ‘multifocal’, focusing both near and distance. It is about the same size as a contact lens and made of plastic. The procedure is similar to cataract surgery and may be performed under local or general anaesthetic. Lens implants can correct any degree of short or long sight or astigmatism at the same time as reading glasses.
My patient’s story
This lady had a strong glasses prescription for both distance and near focus and also astigmatism. She had surgery with the Rayner M-Flex lens implant. This multifocal was customised to treat her short sight and astigmatism and reading glasses dependence. She chose to have the procedure under general (sleeping) anaesthesia. She no longer uses glasses.
She says :
