LASIK is both a safe and effective method of monovision correction for presbyopic patients who have a low refractive error and good preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity, according to a report from a team of California-based researchers. The investigators also found the treatment ranks high in patient satisfaction, as noted in research they published in Clinical Ophthalmology.

The researchers looked into 294 total patients who underwent the procedure for monovision correction. They all had preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity in each eye of 20/25 or better and underwent primary LASIK treatment in one eye with a near target. Additionally, 82 patients underwent surgery in the distant eye for hypermetropia.

The study shows that patients achieved a postoperative mean spherical equivalent of -0.05D in the distant eye and -1.92D in the near eye. Prior to the procedure, 64.7% reported satisfaction with their vision; postoperatively, this increased to 85.4%. The researchers point out that severe visual phenomena such as glare, halos, starbursts and ghosting was the best predictor of post-op dissatisfaction.