Considering LASIK eye surgery? The good news is that middle-aged patients in their 60s respond well to this popular vision correction surgery. Here's what the experts report.
Laser eye surgery is not just for the young. It can also help people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who have presbyopia (an inability to focus on near objects), according to a recent study reported in the journal Ophthalmology (Volume 114, page 1303 ).
The researchers examined 710 eyes of 424 people between the ages of 40 and 69 after LASIK surgery. About half of the people had undergone a monovision correction: One eye was corrected to see distant objects (such as those seen while driving) and the other eye was corrected to see near objects (for example, reading).
To compensate for the less vigorous healing that comes with age, the surgeons modified the technique slightly based on the person’s age. After surgery, 80–100% of the eyes (depending on the age group) had 20/30 vision without the use of corrective lenses. No one lost more than two lines of best-corrected vision on the standard vision chart, and only nine eyes lost two lines of vision that could not be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Vision correction without eyeglasses was not quite as good for those in their 60s compared with the younger groups, and the older individuals were more likely to need a repeat procedure, but the differences between groups weren’t significant.
If you’re over 40 and thinking about laser eye surgery, go ahead and talk with your doctor. Your eyes are likely to do almost as well as those in the younger set.
