If your vision isn’t what it used to be, there’s no reason to settle for living life out of focus. Thanks to technological advances, there are more solutions for common vision problems than ever before.

Corrective lenses are still the most common method of vision correction. They’re affordable, customized for you, and the prescription can easily be changed when needed. If you want something more permanent, LASIK refractive surgery may be the perfect solution. If your vision problems are caused by cataracts, a lens implant can restore your vision. Read on to learn more about Allied Eye’s top three pathways to better vision.

Glasses and contact lenses correct a variety of vision problems. Most of these issues occur when a person has a different eyeball shape that prevents light from focusing properly on the retina. Conditions improved with corrective lenses include:

• Nearsightedness (myopia): Nearsighted people can see objects clearly up close, but have blurry distance vision. With myopia, the eyeball is elongated—shaped more like a football than an orb. Approximately 30 percent of the U.S. population is nearsighted.
• Farsightedness (hyperopia): Farsightedness is the opposite of nearsightedness. Objects are blurry when seen up close, but clear at a distance. With hyperopia, the eyeball is shorter than usual. Only 5 to 10 percent of the U.S. population is farsighted.
• Astigmatism: This refractive error occurs in approximately one in three people and may accompany near- or farsightedness. It results in distorted or blurry areas of vision and can also cause headaches and eye discomfort.
• Presbyopia (reading vision): Nearly everyone age 40 or older experiences some degree of presbyopia. It’s caused by age-related lens hardening that coincides with muscles around the eye weakening. That combination makes it difficult to focus on books, smartphone screens and other objects viewed up close.

Although reading glasses to correct presbyopia are available at nearly any grocery or drug store, lenses strong enough to correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism must be prescribed by an eye doctor. Dennis Matzkin M.D., Dr. Herron and our team of technicians can help you choose the best corrective lenses for you. Click here to learn more about options for eyeglasses.

Contacts are a good choice for those who can’t or prefer not to wear glasses. Approximately 41 million Americans over the age of 18 wear contact lenses. Contacts must be professionally fitted and bought with a prescription, and the wearer must practice good contact lens hygiene. Today, you can choose reusable contacts or daily disposables, and get colored lenses to highlight or change the color of your eyes.

2. LASIK

Nearly 600,000 people in the United States have LASIK surgery each year. Most of these people will end up with 20/20 vision. Though numbers vary by study, most patients report a high rate of satisfaction with the procedure—anywhere from 80 to 96 percent.

This refractive surgery corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. Your doctor will use a special laser to reshape your cornea, the clear front part of your eye. This removes abnormalities that prevent light from focusing on the retina. Dr. Matzkin has performed over 10,000 successful laser procedures and is a highly-regarded refractive surgeon.

3. Cataract Surgery

A cataract is the clouding of the eye’s naturally clear lens. In most cases, cataracts develop over time as part of the aging process. In other cases, they form after an eye injury or glaucoma surgery.

If you’re experiencing blurry, hazy or cloudy vision, cataracts may be the cause. Click here to learn more about cataract signs, symptoms and treatment options. While the only treatment option is surgery, the vast majority of patients find their post-op vision restored beyond expectations. In fact, most are able to give up wearing glasses or contacts after cataract surgery.

Dennis Matzkin M.D. is a board-certified refractive and cataract surgeon. He has many years of experience in performing cataract surgeries where he replaces the natural lens with a premium multifocal intraocular lens (IOL). Click here for more information about IOL implant surgery at Allied Eye.

If you'd like to schedule an appointment with our team of eye care professionals, please call or text (423) 855-8522. We can't wait to service your eye care and eye wear needs!