Are you near-sighted or far-sighted?

Are you near-sighted or far-sighted?

Near-sighted means that you can see things that are close or “near” to you, but your distance is blurry for things that are farther away.  The medical word for this is “myopia”.  This can be treated with glasses, contact lenses or surgery. 

There are two types of surgery for near-sightedness.  The most common is LASIK surgery, and there is also PRK (photorefractive keratectomy).  They both treat the condition by removing tissue from the cornea.  This re-shapes the eye to improve vision.

More than 40 million people have had LASIK surgery.   Cost of the procedure ranges from $1000 to $3000 per eye.

While LASIK surgery and PRK are overall safe and effective, complications can include worsening vision and infection.

Far-sighted means that you can see well far away, but if items are close then they are blurred.  LASIK surgery can also be used for far-sightedness.

Presbyopia is a type of far-sightedness that happens as we get older, and usually starts about age 40.  The aging process causes the eye lens to harden.  This is treated with glasses or contact lenses.  Laser surgery for this condition is performed in Canada and Mexico but is still considered investigational in the United states and is not currently FDA approved.