Corrective Eye Surgery/Monovision

I have not too bad eye sight..it's -1.75 in both eyes, but I'm sick of glasses.
I am also 43.

So I saw the eye doctor about getting Lasik surgery, and I'm a perfect candidate physically. The "problem" is that I am 43. Although I have no evidence of it yet, apparently EVERYBODY eventually has to get reading glasses and the deterioration of near vision starts to show up in the 40s. Grrrreaaat...

Anyway, the doctor suggested two things: PKR (which is like Lasik but non-invasive, more stable, but a significantly longer recovery) and also only correcting one eye for Monovision. Monovision is where one eye is corrected and the other is left nearsighted. This supposedly can result in eliminating the need reading glasses as I age--possibly forever.

Does anyone have experience with this stuff? Currently I'm wearing only one contact to "try out" monovision--I find it's a little annoying, but it's only been two days and supposedly the brain adjusts and it is practically unnoticeable except when an eye is covered.

My questions are...If you have monovision (corrected with contacts or by surgery) how do you like it?
And if you've had PKR surgery, would you do it again, or would you opt for Lasik and the short recovery period?

Thanks in advance!

 

I've been wearing glasses since I was 7 years old. I take them off at night and put them right back on in the morning. I yearn to have perfect vision so I can lay on my side with half my face stuffed in a pillow without askewing my glasses, then I can watch TV and see from afar just fine. That would be nice.

 

There is not enough money in the WORLD for me to ever let someone anywhere near my eyes with a laser! I'll live with glasses.

 

I have family and friends who have gotten it and 100% said they wish they had done it sooner--that it's the best thing they ever did for themselves. None of them, however, have this monovision thing--that's what I'm most curious about.

I've been wearing one contact in my dominant eye for two days now. I can drive and I can see close and far, but I can sense that I'm seeing with each eye separately and it's a tad annoying. From what I read, that is supposed to clear as my brain gets used to the new signals, but it also gives me a bit of eye strain. I guess it's one of those things where you can't describe it except to experience it.

Anyway--I'm really interested in experiences with monovision.--Particularly assurance that the brain does get used to it and it feels "normal" again after a while. Or, the truth that it doesn't before I go and only get one eye done.

I suppose I could then get the second eye done later if monovision is a bust, but if I get the PRK, that seems to have discomfort associated with it, unlike Lasik, and it would another period of recuperation.

 

Felicity: ask your surgeon about "flaring".. My brothers had it done. It impaired night vision.. and they still have to wear reading glasses.

 

I think that's one of the reasons PRK is supposed better--it has a lesser risk of things like halos and starbursts (I think that's the same as "flaring").

One eye would not be touched, so maybe if I had that, it also would be compensated for by my brain? I will ask the doctor when I call in a week and tell him how the monovision trial went. From what I've read online, 5 days is average for it to not bug anymore, and two weeks plus for it to feel normal...

Thanks Margot.

 

What appens as you get older, your lens stiffens due to some collagen process. When zee lens is no longer as elastic, it can no longer bend out of its relaxed shape as much i.e. it cannot assume a thicker shape, therefore cannot bend the light as much. This process leads to far-sightedness.

 

lie

You and I are in a similar situation here. I've had glasses most of my life and am tired of them, but am not sure about whether to go the laser surgery route. At least I don't have that bedtime TV problem, though - I don't even have TV service, let alone a TV in my bedroom.

 

Haha I don't have cable or anything, but I like to watch movies on my TV while I (lie?) down in bed at night. I like to rest my head sideways in a pillow and having glasses makes that almost impossible. =(

Even if I wanted laser eye surgery I couldn't afford it.

 

There's a reputable lasik surgeon in maryland, its where tiger woods went to correct his vision. It should fix your problem, as it sometimes restores vision better than 20 20.

I get blurry vision from eye strain, and there is also diabetic retinal neuropathy that causes blurry vision and blindness. These are things to consider to get an eye check, which I will do when my obama care comes.

 

I wear monovision contact lenses. Don't know about the surgery.

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You Obama care is coming to you..really?

 

How long did it take you to adjust to monovision? I'm having trouble adjusting. I'm at the end of day four and I still feel like my uncorrected eye is just that...uncorrected whether I am focusing near or far. My eyes are so stressed our right now...Any advice?

 

I think the initial time was about 2 weeks before I really felt comfortable. Give some more time and if that doesn't work get in touch with your opthamologist and ask him to recheck your eyes.

 

PRK is older , PRK also take longer to heal
http://www.realself.com/question/PRK-vs-Lasik

 

mrs wyly had the Lasik and the monovision, and couldn't adjust to it, her MD altered her vision in one eye to match the other for free and she now wears reading glasses...

I have natural monovision I've had it since I was teen, I can use either eye by itself or both together the MD is quite intrigued by my control and my ability to turn off one eye or the other, it's a little weird... but at 60 I still don't need glasses to read or drive...

 

Yes, in 2014 so I have to wait a few more months. Then I can be able to have a Vision check from the eye doctor for free.

 

Nothing is entirely free, someone pays.

 

typical liberal response i am not going to take care of myself i will wait until someone else take of me for me, if i go blind before someone helps me then i will just live off the gov because i was to cheap to spend 60 for a eye exam.

 

That is probably right, but I can't afford to pay so I will have to wait until the end of the year until someone can pay for my vision check.

I've been getting blurry vision lately, and haven't been able to get an appointment with a doctor.

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I'm on food stamps, I cannot afford 60 dollars.

 

How do you pay for internet access and a computer or phone or whatever you're posting with? I doubt you're at a public library.

These are the choices in life and separate the sheep from the goats.

 

my internet is more important than an eye check up, the blurry vision is not that bad only if i watch a lot of television.

I think it can wait what another 6 months until everyone gets medicaid, if it gets worst I'll go to the Emergency Room.

 

You can't be for real. The ER thing was going too far to be believable.

 

I just came from the ER last week because I was getting frequent urination, fever, nausea for many days and didn't have access to preventative care. It was a urinary tract infection that could have easily become a kidney infection if left unchecked.

There are people in these positions all the time in America, it should be believable.

 

I hear ya...but most of them are not on an internet political discussion forum posting with careful diction. You're schtick isn't obvious at first--good for you, but...just enough. Nice balance.

BTW--drink more water.