Why has my near vision gotten worse after LASIK?
JAN 04, 2024
Question:
I had LASIK and was told I may have a "little" reduction in my near vision. But after the procedure I basically can’t see anything close-up. I can’t see who is calling me on my iPhone and I can’t tell the time on my watch. Is this normal?
Answer:
Normally people need reading glasses around the age of 40. That is an approximation, with some people going longer without needing glasses, and some people needing them sooner. This normal process of aging (called presbyopia) is due to the eye's natural lens becoming less flexible and not able to focus up close like it did in younger years. For people who are nearsighted, they can see well up close, but not at distance. If a nearsighted person has LASIK with full correction for distance vision, then they become more like a "normal" person who needs reading glasses a bit earlier than a nearsighted person might. I suspect you are over or close to age 40. Enjoy the good uncorrected distance vision, but you will likely need glasses for reading or small print. Talk to your LASIK surgeon about your findings.
This question was originally answered on Mar. 28, 2016.