Good news for movie fans undergoing LASIK eye surgery – ophthalmologists have discovered the surgery used to create ‘blended vision’ doesn’t necessarily reduce the ability to experience 3D TV and film.
In Australia, 240,000 people have had LASIK surgery. The procedure, which is commonly performed on people with presbyopia, corrects one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision.
Motivated by a growing number of patient inquiries, the Vision Eye Institute – a network of private ophthalmic clinics – conducted a small in-house trial on the impact of LASIK surgery on stereoscopic vision, which is the ability to see in 3D.
The Institute’s Medical Director, ophthalmologist Dr. Michael Lawless said eight people with normal vision were provided with contact lenses that simulated what blended vision would look like. Their binocularity was tested and they also watched 3D television.
With every patient, we ask ‘What are you prepared to tolerate in order to be able to read well without spectacles’
He said the trial results confirmed that if performed correctly, LASIK surgery should not impact a person’s ability to view 3D movies.
Dr. Lawless says while LASIK surgery is a very common, safe and effective procedure, issues such as the patient’s lifestyle and expectations, or the advent of new technology must be taken into account.
He said it was important for patients to realise that there was a degree of compromise involved with LASIK surgery.
“With every patient, we ask ‘What are you prepared to tolerate in order to be able to read well without spectacles’.”
He said with the advances in technology, the ability to watch 3D TV and movies was playing a greater role in the decision making of prospective patients.
Dr. Lawless said it was often useful for prospective patients to take part in a contact lens trial to simulate the results of LASIK surgery “to get their head around where they want to be”.
