Last year, at age 44, I had to start wearing reading glasses. Even though I have been nearsighted since age 10, the added burden of bifocals is too much for me - I seek to correct my vision. Please tell me what are my probable outcomes if I have the procedure, my risk of nighttime vision problems, alternatives (IOLs?). My current perscription is:
SPHERE CYL AXIS READING
OD -4.00 - - ADD 1.25
OS -7.00 +1.75 150.0 ADD 1.25

Grant,
Where are you from? LASIK can effectively treat up to 14 diopters of myopia with up to 4 diopters of astigmatism. Since you are over the age of 40, LASIK is effective at treating your ditance vision, but you will still need to use reading glasses after the procedure. The reading glasses are needed because the loss of the ability to read with age.
As with anything in life, there are risks with LASIK (but fortunately the risks are relativley low). when you find a doctor in your area, you should carefuly discuss the risks and benefits of LASIK for you.
As another question - do you know anyone who has already had LASIK?

You can eliminate your distant correction and
possibly not need glasses for near if you are able
to tolerate monovision. Monovision is correcting
your dominant eye fully for distance and leaving
your other eye partially near sighted. Not
everyone can tolerate this. You need to discuss
it with your surgeon and possibly try it first
with contact lenses. You should know that the
near correction may not hold you as you get older
so you will most likely need reading glasses.
Most patients are very happy to eliminate their
distant correction and rely on glasses for near.
Make sure and understand this well before
proceeding as expectation is an important aspect
of your overall satisfaction with the procedure.
Leonard Friedman MD Washing

grant,

by the numbers, you are an excellent candidate, and i agree with all the other comments you received.

nightvision problems are rare in my experience, but you do hear about them on this board. they tend to occur with a combination of large pupils and high corrections. ask your surgeon what he or she thinks about that in your situation.

iol's are not yet approved in the us, and are generally used for higher corrections. this is just my opinion, but i do not feel they are a reasonable choice when we have other, safer procedures available. this surgery involves entering the eye itself, a lens that will remain in the eye for forty years, and a increased risk of retinal detachment, glaucoma and infection. if this were the only procedure and you were desperate to be out of glasses/ lenses, then i would consider it. however, for prescriptions such as your which are easily corrected by the laser, i would opt for that easier route. i believe that even after most of the kinks have been worked out, the iol's will be reserved for very high corrections.

good luck

debra tennen, md