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Refractive Disorders

Myopia or Nearsightedness

Myopia affects over 60 million Americans and causes blurry distance vision. Since near vision is clearer in this condition, another term for myopia is "near-sightedness." In myopia, light rays are focused too powerfully within the eye, leading to a blurry image that is in front of the retina. This can occur because the eye is too long or the front surface of the eye, known as the cornea, is too steeply curved.

The excimer laser has been used to treat myopia since about 1986. PRK is approved by the FDA for patients with myopia up to -12.0 diopters and astigmatism up to -4.0 diopters. With LASIK, patients with even higher corrections are treatable. Today, more than 90% of myopes are candidates for laser correction surgery.

Hyperopia or Farsightedness

Hyperopia causes blurry vision more at near, but vision is blurry at all distances. In this condition, images are focused too weakly within the eye. This can occur when the cornea is too flatly curved, or when the eye is too short. The FDA has approved the treatment of Hyperopia with and without astigmatism.

Astigmatism

A perfect cornea is spherical in the center. Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is ovoid and focuses light differently in one direction from another. It is very common to have some degree of astigmatism. Most astigmatism can now be treated with the excimer laser.

Presbyopia

With advancing age, the human eye loses the ability to focus on near objects. Between the ages of about 40 and 50 years, everyone requires a new prescription for reading. This can be achieved by reading glasses, bifocals, or by removing distance glasses in certain cases of myopia. Presbyopia cannot be directly treated with the excimer laser, but treatments can be adjusted to decrease dependence on reading glasses. Surgical treatments for presbyopia are currently under investigation.