Can an Eye Surgeon Correct Uneven Vision Between Eyes?
It’s normal for two eyes to have slightly different vision. But you can have issues when one eye sees significantly worse than the other. You might have blurry vision, trouble judging distance, eye strain, or even headaches as your eyes try to work together.
The good news is that uneven vision can be improved. The right course of action depends on your prescription and what’s causing the difference. Glasses or contact lenses are enough for some patients. Other patients may be good candidates for eye surgery.
The first step is to figure out why your vision is uneven:
What Causes Uneven Visual Acuity Between the Eyes?
One of the most common causes of uneven vision is a difference in prescription between your eyes. This is also known as anisometropia. For example, one eye might be way more nearsighted or farsighted than the other. Your eyes might also have different amounts of astigmatism. When astigmatism is the main reason for the difference, it’s called astigmatic anisometropia. Small vision differences between your eyes aren’t as concerning. But larger uneven prescriptions make it harder for your brain to combine the images coming from each of your eyes.
Other causes of uneven visual acuity include:
- A developing cataract in one eye
- Keratoconus or another condition that changes the shape of your cornea
- Amblyopia that developed when you were a child
- Retinal or optic nerve conditions
- Past eye injuries or eye procedures
When you visit Columbus Laser & Cataract Center, our eye doctors will thoroughly examine your eyes and ask about your eye history before recommending treatment.
Can Laser Eye Surgery Make Both Eyes See the Same?
In many cases, yes! If you’re a good candidate for laser eye surgery, our eye surgeons may be able to lower your prescription difference so your eyes see more similarly.
LASIK and PRK are two types of corrective surgery we may recommend to reshape your corneas and correct distortions. Both of these procedures can treat refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
However, not all LASIK patients achieve identical vision. Your results will depend on the health of each of your eyes and the amount of correction you need. This is why the eye exam before surgery is so important:
- If both of your eyes can achieve similar clarity with glasses or contacts, there’s a better chance that refractive surgery will reduce your vision imbalance.
- If one eye still doesn’t see as clearly with the best possible correction, another eye condition may be limiting your vision. In this case, LASIK may not be the right eye treatment for you.
Can Cataract Surgery Correct Uneven Vision?
Yes, cataract surgery can help correct uneven vision, especially if one cataract is worse than the other.
During cataract surgery, we remove the eye’s cloudy natural lens and replace it with a clear artificial lens. The power of the replacement lens is based on the measurements we take before surgery. We consider both the cataract and the patient’s focusing error when choosing the power of the replacement lens.
If one eye has a cataract and the other doesn’t, cataract surgery can significantly improve the cataract eye’s clarity and reduce the difference in prescriptions between the two eyes.
Can Eye Doctors Correct Uneven Vision Caused by Amblyopia?
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, develops when the brain doesn’t learn to use one eye normally during childhood.
LASIK surgery can help patients with lazy eyes in some situations. For example, LASIK can reduce the prescription difference between the eyes. However, correcting the optics of the eye won’t necessarily undo the lack of visual development from childhood.
So we should separate this question into two questions:
Can laser eye surgery improve the lazy eye’s prescription? Yes.
Can the lazy eye always achieve the same level of vision as the other eye? No, not always.
What Other Conditions Cause Uneven Vision?
Uneven vision isn’t always caused by a simple prescription difference.
Keratoconus, for example, causes the cornea to become thinner and irregularly shaped. Unfortunately, patients with keratoconus aren’t candidates for laser eye surgery. If your corneas are already thin and irregular, removing additional corneal tissue can lead to complications.
Some patients also develop uneven vision because of problems involving their retina or optic nerve. In these situations, changing the cornea’s prescription would not address the underlying problem.
Previous injuries or surgeries can also cause uneven vision. In some cases, specialized lenses, corneal procedures, retinal treatment, or another approach may be a better option than laser eye surgery.
How Do You Know if You Are a Candidate for Eye Surgery?
Laser eye surgery isn’t for everyone. During your eye evaluation, your surgeon will evaluate:
- The amount of difference between your eyes
- Whether your prescription has been stable
- Your corneal shape and thickness
- Whether you have cataracts or not
- Your retina and optic nerve health
- Your age and overall eye health
- How clearly each of your eyes can see with the best possible correction
Your surgeon will look at all of these factors and help you understand whether surgery is likely to improve the imbalance between your eyes. Some people are good candidates for LASIK or PRK. Others may benefit more from cataract surgery or lens-based surgeries. And in some cases, glasses or contact lenses will be the best choice.
Contact Columbus Laser & Cataract Center Today
Schedule an Eye Evaluation in Columbus, Ohio
So, can an eye surgeon correct uneven vision between eyes? Yes, sometimes! But it depends on what’s causing your uneven vision. The right treatment will depend on what’s causing your uneven vision and how healthy your eyes are.
Are you struggling with uneven vision? Contact Columbus Laser and Cataract Center to schedule an eye appointment. Our surgeons will evaluate your vision and help you understand which treatment options may help your eyes work together more comfortably.