LASIK Over 40: What are Your Options?

Dr. Jonathan Woolfson

So you’ve reached your 40s. They say life begins at 40, right? While that may be true in many respects, by the time your eyes reach 40, they’ve certainly completed plenty of “hard living.”

With so much LASIK marketing and advertising on television, radio, and online, many people over the age of 40 (and even into their 50s) are starting to ask themselves, “Is LASIK right for me?”

It’s a great question. At Woolfson Eye Institute, we take pride in our ability to provide “Your Best Vision at any Age.” Does that include LASIK for those over the age of 40?

Is it worth getting LASIK over 40?

The answer: Sometimes.

The average LASIK patient at Woolfson Eye Institute is 38 years of age. At this age, the most common complaint patients have is that their distance vision has become increasingly blurry (known as nearsightedness).

The challenge for patients over the age of 40 who wear contacts or glasses is correcting nearsightedness with LASIK (which is common), while at the same time getting them to understand a condition known as presbyopia, which literally translates to “old eyes.”

If you are approaching 40 years of age, presbyopia is in your near future; and if you’re over 40, it’s likely already happening.

So, not only are you already struggling with your distance vision, but you’re also likely beginning to struggle with tasks like reading and seeing well up close, which you’ve never had a problem with (hey, it stinks getting old!).

Many patients are alarmed to learn about presbyopia, but the reality is that, as people age, their eyes break down over time. This is similar to an autofocus camera that just wears down after too much use.

If you choose to have traditional LASIK to correct your nearsightedness, you will likely still need reading glasses to see up close, due to presbyopia, which is not corrected with LASIK (however, Monovision LASIK may be an option for you).

While many patients aren’t thrilled to hear this, the good news is that LASIK can help correct your nearsightedness (seeing far away), and as a result, help you live a higher quality of life.

The “over 40” LASIK evaluation

At Woolfson Eye Institute, it’s a requirement for patients to come see us for a LASIK evaluation before surgery is performed. It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80; it’s necessary to ensure you are a good fit for LASIK.

We take a scientific approach to analyzing your vision from all angles to determine whether or not you are a LASIK candidate. We also provide a LASIK self-evaluation quiz right here on our website, which you can fill out by visiting this page.

Is it time for your “over 40” vision correction consult?

You probably think of Woolfson Eye Institute as a LASIK center and you probably think of an evaluation as being only for LASIK. In fact, a Woolfson Eye Institute refractive surgery consult is an opportunity for you to meet with a doctor who specializes in recommending the best treatment for you, whether that is LASIK, PRK, cataract surgery, or something else.

The bottom line— we don’t try to sell you an eye procedure you don’t need! This is your vision we’re talking about here and it cannot be left to chance. We match each and every patient to the procedure that is best for them.

Come see us for your evaluation and we’ll determine which vision correction procedure is right for you. With locations all around the greater Atlanta area (Atlanta/Sandy Springs, CAirport Location, Cumming, and Lawrenceville), as well as locations in Tennessee (Chattanooga, and Knoxville) and Asheville, North Carolina, you’ll be able to find a Woolfson Eye Institute clinic near you.