Is there ANY chance at all that someone over 40 could still be able to read without glasses after lasik,if they could before lasik? My doctor didn't say that I would wake up unable to read, he said that I would need readers in a few years. He must have meant if I didn't have lasik. I obviously didn't do enough research and I found this board after the surgery. It's been 30 days and I can read a little better. I just want to know if it is unheard of for a person to improve in close vision at this age. thanks.

You may be a little overcorrected which may fade
with some time and your near vision may improve.
Some people with plano distant vision can read
into their mid forties but some have reading
problems earlier. The patients in their late
thirties and early forties need to discuss slight
monovision to postpone the need for glasses and to
increase the range of focus for later.
Leonard Friedman MD Washington DC>...

Seems to me that this is a BIG issue that is NOT thoroughly discussed by many refractive patients (myself being one) and their doctors. I use my reading glasses for a whole lot more than just reading and I am ONLY 40. I think Doctors should simulate the vision that the patient is expecting by way of contacts. I am curious, were you wearing contacts before...and how close is the LASIK vision to the contact lens vision that you had? Maybe and unfortunately, presbyopia could have hit right around your surgery time. I myself have experienced drastic focusing changes before surgery and after surgery. I don't know whether to blame surgery or age...but I know that my eyes just "see" strangely. By the way, how old are you?

I think anyone nearing "Presbyopia age" should consider monovision. My left eye was untouched & is my reading eye, while my right, dominant eye was lasiked for vision. Now I don't need any glasses. But if I cover my left eye, I totally can't read & the computer is very blurry--can't read it. I would have hated it. The doctor said I might as well have both eyes done because I would need readers sooner or later anyway & almost didn't even mention the monovision. I tried it with a soft contact they let me wear. The brain trains the eyes on which one to look out of when looking close or far away. I'm 56 & still reading tiny print. Am so glad I didn't do both eyes!

>Seems to me that this is a
>BIG issue that is NOT thoroughly
>discussed by many refractive patients (myself
>being one) and their doctors. I
>use my reading glasses for a
>whole lot more than just reading
>and I am ONLY 40. I
>think Doctors should simulate the vision
>that the patient is expecting by
>way of contacts. I am curious,
>were you wearing contacts before...and how
>close is the LASIK vision to
>the contact lens vision that you
>had? Maybe and unfortunately, presbyopia could
>have hit right around your surgery
>time. I myself have experienced drastic
>focusing changes before surgery and after
>surgery. I don't know whether to
>blame surgery or age...but I know
>that my eyes just "see" strangely.
>By the way, how old are
>you?

Hi Lynne,
I am 46. I could find a needle in a haystack the day before the surgery. I woke up the next morning unable to see close up. And, yes, I never thought of all the things people use for close up vision besides reading. Everyone just uses the term "reading", so shaving your legs, eating, looking at the caller i.d., cooking dinner, etc. never entered my mind. My fault. I wore glasses for distance before lasik and contacts on special occasions. I have 20/20 vision now but learning a whole new way of life reaching for readers every second. It was a sudden shock. I do enjoy running around without glasses for distance, though. I don't know if it was a fair trade.