Nearsightedness, also known as Myopia, is a condition where distant objects appear blurry, but closer objects do not. A myopic eye is slightly longer than what we would call "a normal eye" and is generally corrected with "minus powered" glasses or contact lens.
Uncorrected myopia is the leading cause of distance vision impairment globally. Amazingly, it is estimated that by 2030 half of all Americans will be nearsighted. And by 2050, almost five billion people, half of everybody on earth, will be myopic.
If you do not want to wear glasses or contacts, there are some permanent correction solutions that you might be a candidate for.
Nearsightedness may be due to repeated stress on the eyes or genetics, or a combination of the two.
When you have myopia, your eyeglass prescription will have a negative number. The more negative the number, the stronger your lenses will need to be (for instance, a -3.0 is a stronger prescription than a -2.5).
Non-surgical solutions for nearsightedness
Of course, you can get glasses or contact lenses with your particular prescription to correct your myopia and provide clear vision when you’re wearing them. While these options are suitable for many folks, there are many others who have grown frustrated with eyeglasses and contact lenses.
Schedule your consultation today with our internationally recognized ophthalmologists
For those people who find glasses or contact use burdensome or incompatible with their lifestyle, there are more permanent options for myopia correction through surgery. These options include:
LASIK
LASIK (which stands for Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis) is the most popular solution among Americans for myopia correction. This is because with a very experienced surgeon using a highly specialized laser, the focusing power of your eyes can be corrected in a near pain-free 15-minute procedure, freeing you once and for all from wearing glasses or contacts.
With LASIK, your surgeon reshapes your cornea so that it can do a better job of focusing light more precisely onto the retina, which allows you to see more clearly. With the best LASIK surgeons, a patient’s vision often becomes even better than 20/20 and far better than they could previously see with their glasses or contact lenses.
At AGEI, we have been performing LASIK surgery for over 2 decades and have led the industry in developing surgical techniques and laser protocols, as well as performing product testing on several generations of lasers. This experience allows us to combine leading-edge technology with advanced surgical techniques developed by Dr. Assil to provide highly tailored vision correction unique to each patient.
In fact, AGEI is the only Los Angeles area ophthalmology practice with two LASIK surgical suites outfitted with the VISX Star S4 excimer laser that offers the most advanced technology coupled with the greatest reliability to our patients. A safety feature called Iris Registration ensures that the laser remains properly aligned to your eye as it sculpts. This feature also ensures that there’s no possibility of treating the wrong eye or the wrong patient. A second safety feature tracks eye movement during surgery so that the laser's accuracy is not affected if you move or blink during your vision correction procedure.
Of course, your doctor will perform a comprehensive eye examination to determine if LASIK is right for you. If you are not considered a good LASIK candidate, the good news is that at AGEI, our eye surgeons also perform a variety of other myopia correction procedures.
PRK (also known as LASEK)
PRK (or photorefractive keratectomy) was the first type of laser surgery for vision correction when it was introduced in 1995. This technology has evolved over two decades and the newest generation PRK procedure is known as LASEK (for laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy).
LASEK is a safe, effective procedure for vision correction that’s ideal for those who aren’t good candidates for LASIK vision correction or for persons wanting sharper vision following cataract surgery. LASEK involves using laser energy to gently sculpt the outer layer of the cornea in order to correct the focusing error.
The key difference between PRK (also called LASEK) and LASIK surgery has to do with where the laser sculpting takes place. With LASEK, the laser energy is applied directly to the surface of the cornea, whereas with LASIK, the outer corneal layer is spared and the laser energy is applied to the middle corneal layer.
It’s important to know that at AGEI, our surgeons use the same cool ultraviolet iFS Intralase excimer laser in both LASEK and LASIK procedures, so the final vision correction results are quite similar for both.
Phakic Intraocular Lenses (Phakic IOLs)
Also called Implantable contact lenses (ICL), these implants provide an alternative to glasses or contact lenses for those patients who are not good candidates for LASIK surgery or PRK but who would like to consider vision correction surgery (known as refractive surgery).
The ICL procedure is performed in our office and takes about 10 minutes per eye. At AGEI we fit patients with one of two different phakic IOL brands:
Visian
The Visian lens is rolled up like a very compact cigar within a pen-like device that inserts the lens in your eye through your cornea (the clear part of your eye surface). The lens is then positioned behind your iris (the colored part of the eye) and in front of your eye's natural lens and is then gently unfolded and stays in place without stitches. The incision in your cornea is so tiny that stitches are not needed because the cornea can heal on its own.
Verisyse
The Verisyse lens is introduced through a 6mm incision made at the outer edge of your iris (the colored part of your eye). The lens is then secured using very fine dissolvable stitches. Your corneal incision is also stitched closed.
Most patients experience mild discomfort during and after surgery. Your eye may be red and swollen. You will be prescribed medications for pain, as well as eye drops to prevent inflammation and infection. You will also be given eye shields to wear at night for the first week after surgery to keep you from inadvertently scratching your eyes.
Initially, you might feel irritation like there's something in your eye, but that will quickly disappear and then you will not be able to feel your lens. Nor will the lens be visible to an outside observer looking at you. Most patients report a clear vision the next day. And, in our experience, vision is quite stabilized within one week of surgery.
Myopia correction performed during Cataract Surgery
Of course, for those needing cataract surgery, the primary goal of surgery is to replace the hazy natural lens with a crystal clear one that will allow the maximum amount of light to enter the eye in an effort to achieve sharper vision. In traditional cataract surgery, the natural lens is replaced with a crystal clear plastic lens that does not correct your refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism).
In recent years, patients have had the option of substituting a prescription implantable lens instead of a clear non-prescription lens. Known as Premium Intraocular Lenses (IOLs) these prescription lenses are designed to bend light rays entering your eye to correct your unique focusing errors (be it nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism), thus ridding you of glasses or contact lenses.
At AGEI we use the most advanced technology available today for cataract surgery: the Femtosecond laser. This laser creates a 2-millimeter incision through which the entire surgery is performed. This offers the triple advantages of better precision, safety, and less harm to the surrounding eye tissue.
Our cataract procedures are performed under gentle sedation in our own surgery center. The entire process takes less than 2 hours, after which patients are taken home by whoever has accompanied them that day.
Why trust AGEI for your nearsightedness (myopia) corrections?
At AGEI, we know that each patient has a unique medical profile and lifestyle that must be taken into consideration when considering treatment options for their eye care. We don't practice “one size fits all” medicine but rather make an effort to get to know you because at AGEI our patients are more than just a diagnosis.
We feel strongly that by getting to know you, we can not only provide you with treatment options that best suit your lifestyle, but we can also suggest some lifestyle modifications that may optimize your eye health.
Schedule your consultation today with our Myopia experts
Look Who Trusts Their Eyes
to Assil Gaur Eye Institute...
LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James is one of the NBA's greatest of all time. He absolutely depends on his vision to perform at the very highest level. That's why he's an AGEI LASIK surgery patient.
correcting myopia, nearsightedness myopia, does cataract surgery correct myopia, how to fix myopia, correct myopia, correcting nearsightedness, does cataract surgery fix nearsightedness, cure nearsightedness, nearsightednes, nearsighted after cataract surgery, what lens for nearsightedness, johnson near sightedness contact lenses, what lens corrects nearsightedness, nearsightedness is also called, how myopia can be corrected, myopia eye floaters, which if any of these people are nearsighted myopic, can you correct nearsightedness, how do you fix nearsightedness, can you go blind from myopia, near sightedness, myopia nearsightedness, nearsightness, near sightedness correction, myopia is or, myopia surgery, what is the prescription for nearsighted vision, lens to correct nearsightedness, nearsighted correction surgery, do i have myopia, correct nearsightedness, nearsightedness vision, myopia and floaters, can myopia be fixed, johnson lenses for near sighted, myopic vision, nearsightedness is corrected with lenses., has anyone cured myopia naturally, which condition is also known as nearsightedness, surgery for nearsightedness, nearsighted eye, fixing nearsightedness, is negative prescription nearsighted, can nearsightedness be cured, nearsitedness, nearsightedness correction, how is myopia corrected, why am i nearsighted, is myopia nearsightedness, what does near sighted vision look like, myopic eye surgery, near-sightedness, real myopia eye, myopia recovery, myopic eye correction lens, nearsighted vision, what type of lens corrects myopia, can cataract surgery correct nearsightedness, myopia is also known as, near sighted ness, nearsighted myopia, can you become nearsighted, what is near sightedness, can glasses cure myopia permanently, myopia lens correction, difference between myopia and cataract, nearsightednesses, how is nearsightedness corrected, what is myopia how is it corrected, myopia cataracts, what is nearsighted vision, nearsightedness is also known as, how to fix near sightedness, how can nearsightedness be corrected, can cataract surgery correct myopia, lens to correct myopia, myopic cataract, nearsightedness or myopia can be corrected with what type lens, nearsigntedness, how to fix nearsightedness, how to correct nearsightedness, lens for nearsightedness, what is considered nearsighted, is it better to be nearsighted or farsighted after cataract surgery, can myopia be cured by surgery, near sightedness treatments, nearsightedness cure, which lens is appropriate to correct nearsightedness, whats nearsightedness, nearsightedness surgery, near sighted eye, what does nearsighted look like, what is myopia of the eye, myopia cataract, which is a dysfunction of the lens of the eye also known as nearsightedness, how can myopia be corrected, how to correct myopia, myopia cure, near sighted vision, myopia correction, myopia correction lens, cataract surgery myopia correction, nearsightedness can be corrected by using, myopia is corrected by which lens, eye nearsighted, is nearsightedness + or -, myopia eye, how to cure nearsighted, does cataract surgery correct nearsightedness, which lens corrects nearsightedness, can nearsighted be corrected, myopia nearsighted, type of lens for nearsightedness, nearsightedness in one eye, eye surgery to correct nearsightedness, cure for nearsightedness, nearsightedness is called, myopic correction, near sighted correction, nearsighted correction, how to treat nearsightedness, does cataract surgery correct nearsightedness or farsightedness, is 2030 vision good, what is myopia and how is it corrected, also known as nearsightedness, nearsighted fix, cataract surgery for nearsightedness, correcting for nearsightedness, nearsightedness lens, near sightedness is also known as, near sightedness lens, cataract surgery and nearsightedness, can nearsightedness be corrected, how to cure nearsightedness, how to fix nearsighted, myopia fix, nearsighted treatments, cures nearsightedness, which lens is used for nearsightedness, eye surgery for nearsightedness, johnson lenses for near sightedness, nearsightedness is also called myopia, myopia corrected, myopia vs nearsightedness, how do you get nearsightedness, nearsightedness eye, myopia floaters, fix nearsightedness, what is myopia in the eye, slightly nearsighted, cataract surgery astigmatism and myopia, lens for nearsighted, myopic eye and its correction, what is nearsightedness called, what is myopic vision, nearsightedness is more properly called, nearsightedness is corrected with lenses, nearsightendness, cure myopia in a week, nearsighted surgery, nearsighted lens, lenses for nearsightedness, myopia cataract surgery, what is nearsightedness, what is nearsighted called, what type of lens corrects nearsightedness, myopia of the eye, eye myopia, myopia corrected by which lens, what does nearsightedness look like, myopia is correct by which lens, johnson lenses for short sight, am i nearsighted, can cataract surgery correct near and far vision, nearsightedness is also called myopia., nearsightedness., can cataract surgery cure myopia, near sightedness is known as, i am nearsighted, what type of lens fixes myopia, nearsighted eyeball, how do you correct myopia, myopic personality, nearsightedness treatment, can you fix nearsightedness, nearsighted treatment, corrective lenses for nearsightedness, myopic eye correction, how to get rid of nearsightedness, johnson contacts for near sightedness, what does being nearsighted mean, rabun jauh disebut juga, fix myopia, cure for myopia, nearsighted in one eye, nearsighted ness, near sighted myopia, myopia is minus or plus, how to fix nearsightedness without glasses, myopic nearsighted, johnson lenses for near sight, contact lenses for nearsightedness, near sightness, nearsighted cure, nearsighted eyes, what type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness, is nearsightedness myopia, which type of lens can correct nearsightedness, which lens correct myopia, myopic eye vision, myopia how to correct, what type of lens can correct myopia, myopia is also called, eye surgery for near sightedness, myopia and correction, can myopia be corrected, what lenses correct myopia, what type of lens do nearsighted people need, eye nearsightedness, is nearsighted myopia, how can we correct myopia, cataract surgery correct nearsightedness, nearsightedness floaters, myopia eye lens, high myopia and cataract surgery, what lens fixes myopia, what is nearsightedness and how is it corrected, surgery myopia, curing myopia, cataract myopia, define nearsightedness, can nearsightedness be fixed, can you cure nearsightedness, can myopia be cured, what lens corrects myopia, eye floaters myopia, before and after real myopia eye, how do i fix myopia, correction of myopia lens, correction myopia, nearsighteness, nearsigtedness, nearsightedness correction lens, what does nearsightedness mean, floaters and myopia, how myopia is corrected, how do you get myopia, myopia is corrected by using, nearsightnedness, nearsightedness is known as, nearisghtedness, what is near sightedness called, what is myopia nearsightedness, myopia vision correction, surgery for near sightedness, nearsighted is also known as, nearsighedness, cataracts and myopia, can nearsighted be cured, rabun jauh disebut, myopia is also called as, can nearsighted be fixed, cataract surgery nearsighted, myopia and cataract, cataract and myopia, myopia distance vision, myopia causes and correction, to correct myopia, myopia is known as nearsightedness because, correction of myopia, 2030 eye vision, cataracts myopia, correction for myopia, myopia vs normal eye, myopia and cataract surgery, myopia is corrected by, what does near sighted mean, myopia cured by which lens, does cataract surgery correct short sightedness, how to correct near vision, what does myopia, how to correct myopia lens, what lens do nearsighted people use, near sightedness is also called, nearsightendess, myopia and cataracts, can nearsightedness be cured with lasik, what kind of lens corrects nearsightedness, how a myopic person sees, myopia in one eye treatment, nearsightedness can be corrected by using eyeglass lenses that are, high myopia cataract surgery, cataract surgery myopia, can nearsightedness improve on its own, what type of lens is used for nearsightedness, what is a myopia, do cataracts cause nearsightedness, myopia explained, correction for nearsightedness, how to recover from myopia, nearsightedness can be corrected, is myopia and nearsightedness the same, myopia in eye, how to correct nearsightedness and farsightedness, can you correct myopia, how does nearsightedness work, what does it mean if your nearsighted, near sighted eyes, nearsightdness, myopia correct, outer worlds nearsighted, how to correct myopia and hyperopia, can nearsightedness get better, floaters nearsightedness, nearsighted floaters, how to get rid of myopia, myopia bilateral treatment, near sighted surgery, causes of near sightedness, corrected myopia, near sitedness, myopic shift, myopia plus or minus, myopia or nearsightedness, does cataract surgery improve nearsightedness, nearsightedness genetic testing, nearsighted how to cure, mild nearsightedness, can laser eye surgery fix myopia, can you fix myopia, can cataract surgery correct both nearsightedness and farsightedness, near sighted treatment, near sited, myopia corrective lens, nearsightedness is myopia, myopia sentence, myopia symptoms, myopia corrected by, what is myopia surgery, myopia negative lens, how do glasses correct nearsightedness, is myopia curable, cure myopia, -6 myopia, near vision glasses, what lens is used for nearsightedness, how do you get nearsighted, how to cure myopia without surgery, which lens is used in myopia, which lens is used to correct myopia, can cataract surgery correct high myopia, how to treat myopia, corrective lens for myopia, how nearsightedness can be corrected, how to cure myopia naturally and effectively, what lens fixes nearsightedness, how to cure myopia naturally, nearsightedness can be corrected by, vision with myopia, what type of lens do you need for nearsightedness, myopia eye correction, farsighted vs nearsighted glasses, myopic eyesight, myopia meaning, can myopia be cured with glasses, glasses for astigmatism and nearsightedness, near sighted is called, how do you fix myopia, myopia is corrected with, uncorrected nearsightedness, bilateral myopia of eyes, nearsidedness, nearsited, myopia of bilateral eyes, 90210 myopia, nearsightedness fix, mytopia eye, what is used to correct myopia, myopia can be corrected by, how to improve myopia, advanced myopia, how do you treat myopia, bilateral myopia, myopia minus, corrected myopic eye, is there surgery for nearsightedness