What is Monovision?
After the age of 40, nearly everyone develops age-related farsightedness and needs to use glasses for reading. Monovision is an alternative for those affected by this age-related farsightedness. This is accomplished by completely correcting any nearsighted or farsightedness of the dominant eye so that it can see clearly in the distance, while leaving a small amount of nearsightedness in the non-dominant eye to help with near vision. Consequently, the dominant eye sees well in the distance but not up close, while the non-dominant eye sees well up close but not in the distance. When both eyes are used together, the patient can see reasonably well both in the distance and up close, without needing the help of spectacles. Not all patients are able to tolerate this form of correction.

Will I be able to tolerate Monovision?
Contact lens can be used to simulate post-operative results allowing patients to determine if they will be happy with Monovision.

Will I still need glasses with Monovision?
The major advantage of Monovision is its convenience, but it also has its drawbacks. Far vision may not be perfect, especially at nighttime or in areas with little lighting. Some individuals may need glasses to correct the nearsightedness left in the non-dominant eye to feel comfortable about nighttime activities such as driving.

Secondly, near vision will typically work well for only short periods of time. In long periods of reading, the patient will notice a decrease in clarity and the eyes will get tired. Reading spectacles in this situation will keep the eyes relaxed and prevent them from tiring.

How long does it take to adjust to Monovision?
During the early stages, especially during the first week, patients may feel both near and distance vision is unfocused. Some may become irritated, see double vision, feel dizzy, nauseated, pain in the eye sockets, fatigue, or find it difficult to keep the eyes open towards the end of the day. This problem is the greatest during the first week and may last some months. During this adjustment period, spectacles may help with the patient's symptoms. The lenses of the spectacles may even need to be changed a few times. Once the body adjusts over the period of some months, these symptoms should improve.

What if I am still having difficulty with Monovision after several months?
An enhancement may be needed to convert the Monovision LASIK into a Traditional LASIK in which spectacles are needed for reading. Enhancements procedure can be performed and repeated as many times as needed as long as enough thickness in the cornea remains. Of course, enhancements are not resorted to unless necessary.