LASIK at
Whiting Clinic

What Does LASIK Correct?

Nearsightedness or Myopia is a comment refractive error that makes it difficult to see distant objects clearly. It occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light entering the eye to focus in front of the retina instead of on the retina. As a result, distant object appear blurry. LASIK for nearsightedness works by reshaping the steeper curvature of the cornea, making it flatter, to ensure light focuses directly on the retina.

Astigmatism is a vision condition caused by an irregularly shaped cornea, often referred to as a football shaped cornea causing light entering the eye to focus on multiple points with in the eye. People with an astigmatism have distorted and blurred vision at all distances. Astigmatism often accompanies nearsighted or farsightedness. LASIK for astigmatism works by reshaping the points of irregularity on the cornea, transforming it into a more symmetrical shape allowing light to focus evenly on the retina.

Farsightedness or Hyperopia is another common refractive error where close-up objects appeared blurred as a result of the light entering the eye focusing on a hypothetical point beyond the retina. LASIK for farsightedness works by removing tissue from the other edges of the cornea, thus inducing curvature and allowing light to focus directly on the retina

Does LASIK Correct Reading Vision?

Presbyopia is an age-related condition and noticed as a gradual loss of the eyes’ ability to focus up-close, especially when reading fine print or in dimly lit situations. Presbyopia is the result of the hardening or or loss of flexibility of the lens within the eye and most people become aware of presbyopia in their early to mid-40s and it typically worsens until around the age of 65. Since presbyopia is a lens and not a corneal condition, it alone is not correctable by LASIK; however, if presbyopia is present with a refractive error, monovision LASIK may be a good option to consider.

What is Monovision LASIK?

Monovision LASIK is a vision correction procedure which can address both near and far vision problems and may be a good solution for people who find themselves switching between their regular glasses for normal tasks and reading glasses for up-close work like reading. Unlike standard LASIK, which treats both eyes for distance vision, the strategic approach of monovision LASIK is tailored to provide clear distance vision in one eye and near vision in the other. Many people achieve monovision correction through the use of contact lenses prior to LASIK. For most patients, the brain is quickly able to seamlessly integrate the visual information from each eye, resulting in clear vision both close-up and at a distance. The benefit of monovision LASIK is that it eliminates or reduces a patients need for reading glasses. Additionally, through Whiting Clinic’s customized approach, Monovision LASIK is highly customizable for each patient, with your surgeon tailoring the correction to suit your unique vision needs and activities. Of course, LASIK can still be performed on patients with presbyopia to correct the refractive error in both eyes equally and the patient can use over-the-counter reading glasses when they notice the need for up-close work like reading.

What Other Procedures Does Whiting Clinic Perform?

LASIK isn’t always the best treatment recommendation for all patients. At Whiting Clinic, we strive to get to know you as an individual, which includes your lifestyle, type of work, and hobbies as these, in addition to your vision prescription and optical testing results, could impact the treatment recommendation we provide to you.