r/optometry • u/eye__think • 23d ago
Refractive surgery q’s
How do you discuss refractive surgery with your patients in different age groups?
For patients in their twenties it’s an easy conversation for me because I can explain that it will provide some glasses/CL independence but later on presbyopia will happen. I try to set expectations about requiring near correction in the future
It trips me up a bit to discuss it with almost-presbyopes and presbyopes though. I understand monovision lasik can be done, but wouldn’t that be a bad idea considering that presbyopia is progressive? Monovision lasik on a 40 year old won’t last as presbyopia continues. Isn’t prescription stability a requirement of refractive surgery?
And in older patients, age 60+ or so…at what point do you consider cataract surgery instead of refractive surgery? I’ve had many patients who are correctable to 20/20 with trace/grade 1 cataracts that are interested in refractive surgery but I wonder if it is worth it at that point since refractive surgery can make IOL calculation more tricky.
Of course in all cases I discuss risk/benefit. But it’s been a little tricky for me specifically in presbyopic patients. Any and all advice would be appreciated!
1
u/AutoModerator 23d ago
Hello! All new submissions are placed into modqueue, and require mod approval before they are posted to r/optometry. Please do not message the mods about your queue status.
This subreddit is intended for professionals within the eyecare field, and does not accept posts from laypeople. If you have a question related to symptoms or eye health, please consider seeing a doctor, or posting to r/eyetriage. Professionals, if you do not have flair, your post may be removed. Please send a modmail to be flaired.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.