I am 46 years old and have worn glasses since I was six. Am I too old for the LASIK procedure? I have astigmatism and am nearsighted.

Lacy

LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) can be used to correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism. In the surgical procedure, a flap is made in the cornea and after the flap is lifted, a laser is used to gently reshape the cornea. The flap is then replaced. Usually, a patient will notice a dramatic improvement in vision over the next 24 hours.

Many experts recommend that LASIK be performed only in people age 18 or older, and then only after the vision has been stable for one year. To answer your specific question, there is no known upper age limit for LASIK. In fact, LASIK has safely been performed on people who are in their 70s.

However, for people over age 40, it is important to keep in mind that LASIK does not forestall or correct presbyopia -- the age-related decline in the eye's ability to focus on near objects. The common methods of dealing with presbyopia include reading glasses or bifocals. One option for older patients considering LASIK is called monovision. This refers to the situation in which one eye is corrected for distance vision, while the other is corrected for near vision. Using this arrangement, many people can see distance with one eye and comfortably read with the other. However, not everyone adapts well to monovision. So it's best to see if you can successfully wear monovision contact lenses before you decide to undergo monovision LASIK surgery. This is very important given that monovision LASIK is relatively permanent.