Vision correction surgery for people in their 40s and 50s

Hello, I’m Moo-yeon Kim, an ophthalmologist at GS Eyecenter.

When I see patients in their 20s, I often engage in conversations with their parents. During these discussions, they witness their children undergoing vision correction surgery and becoming free from glasses. Intrigued, they inquire about the possibility of undergoing similar surgery themselves, despite being in their 40s and 50s. Today, I aim to explain in detail how vision changes in middle age and the possibilities for correcting it.

Is LASIK or LASEK possible for middle-aged individuals in their 40s and 50s?

Presbyopia causes close objects to appear blurry. However, individuals with myopia who wear glasses for distant vision can often see nearby objects without glasses, even if they have presbyopia. Consequently, when observing older individuals, it’s common to see them lifting their glasses above their heads or resting them on their noses while reading.

When middle-aged and elderly individuals with presbyopia undergo vision correction surgeries like LASIK, LASEK, or SMILE without addressing their presbyopia, they may achieve clear distance vision without glasses but often require reading glasses for up-close tasks. As a result, vision correction surgeries such as LASIK, LASEK, and SMILE might not be suitable for individuals in their late 40s to 50s.

Is there a vision correction method for middle-aged individuals?

Usually, when your eyes age after your mid-50s, your lens becomes cloudy. When cataracts start, there is a problem with the lens, so lasik or smile on the cornea doesn’t work at all. Therefore, in this period, rather than performing vision correction surgery on the cornea, we insert a multifocal artificial lens that helps to see both far and near while operating on a cloudy lens to correct myopia and presbyopia together.

How can individuals in this age group, who haven’t developed cataracts, correct their vision? Corneal vision correction surgery doesn’t address presbyopia, and it’s premature to consider cataract surgery.

One option for middle-aged individuals with myopia but without cataracts is lens implantation. This procedure is commonly recommended for patients with high myopia or thin corneas. Among the lenses used for implantation, there are multifocal lenses like Artiplus lens. This lens have multiple focal points, allowing vision correction for both near and distant objects. During lens implantation surgery, a slight incision is made in the cornea, and the multifocal lens is fixed to the iris.

anterior multifocal lens implantation

Lenses used in lens implantation are typically categorized based on their insertion position—whether they enter in front of or behind the iris. Currently, a multifocal lens(Altiplus) capable of correcting both near and far vision is placed in front of the iris.

A multifocal lens that addresses both presbyopia and myopia hasn’t yet been developed for lenses placed behind the iris. Due to limited space behind the iris, lenses inserted there tend to be very soft and thin. However, creating a multifocal lens requires incorporating multiple focal points, leading to challenges when placed behind the iris as it tends to increase the lens thickness. If forcibly placed, this lens might come into contact with the healthy lens, potentially causing cataracts.

Consequently, achieving simultaneous correction of presbyopia and myopia becomes challenging as it’s crucial to maintain a thin profile to avoid contact with the lens when inserting a rear lens. Conversely, a front lens can be securely fixed to the iris without instability, even if it’s heavier or thicker. This enables effective correction for both near and far vision using a multifocal lens.

Lenses designed to correct astigmatism can significantly impact vision, even with a slight deviation in angle. Achieving precise correction is crucial when addressing astigmatism. The Altplus lens, fixed to the iris, facilitates accurate correction for astigmatism. As a result, anterior multifocal lens implantation emerges as a favorable option for individuals who previously underwent LASIK and prefer not to wear glasses, or for those who awaited cataract surgery due to thin corneas. However, it’s important to note that this procedure isn’t universally suitable. Comprehensive eye examinations are essential to assess individual eye conditions.

People in their 40s and 50s can get free from glasses! How long do you wait until cataracts come?#Magnifying #Myopia #Gardigrapher GS ophthalmology website: https://gseyecenter.com⚕ ️ Ophthalmologist Kim Moo-yeon Post: http://naver.me/F1pQ1iDT Ophthalmologist Kim Moo-yeon YouTube Subscription: http://bit.ly/31sMKc4#40 University vision correction #Multifocal lens implantation #GS ophthalmology…youtu.be

↑ If you click on the link above, you can see more details on YouTube.

APresbyopia, a natural occurrence due to aging eyes, can lead to inconvenience in your daily life if not properly addressed. I highly recommend visiting an ophthalmologist for appropriate guidance. I’ll be sharing practical ophthalmological insights that can assist in your daily life next week.