The natural aging process of the eye creates a condition called presbyopia. It occurs due to the loss of flexibility in the lens and the muscles around the lens. Presbyopia causes the unfortunate and inevitable need for reading glasses, bifocals, or trifocals. Most people will notice this change usually in the early to mid-forties and gradually graduate to reading glasses when holding things out as far as possible stops working. 

The concept of mono-vision is very simple. One eye is corrected for near vision and the other eye is corrected for distance vision. The brain figures out which eye to use and when. How to achieve mono-vision varies, depending upon your current eyesight

The chief advantage of mono-vision is the freedom it can provide from reading glasses. After a short time, the brain makes the vision changes automatically, without any conscious effort or awareness. Mono-vision makes it possible to repeatedly change the range of focus, without having to constantly remove or add corrective lenses.

If monovision seems desirable, you can try to achieve the effect with contact lenses prior to surgery to determine if monovision is suitable for your individual needs and your ability to adapt. At the pre-operative examination we can simulate your vision and possibly prescribe contact lenses for a trial before proceeding with a surgical option.

As with many good things, mono-vision comes with some disadvantages. People with mono-vision may have some degree of decreased depth perception unless corrective lenses are used to fully correct the slightly nearsighted eye. We highly recommend someone with mono-vision have a pair of glasses made that provide full distance vision correction for those situations where excellent distance vision and/or depth perception are desirable.

Our physicians utilize the same state of the art iLASIK technology for mono-vision as they use for patients correcting both eyes for distance. Click the button below to learn more about iLASIK.