40 years old should surgery myopia?

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Hoang Thanh Nga - Ophthalmologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

Myopia surgery or refractive surgery is performed by laser methods such as Lasik, Smile, PRK... Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages as follows:
Lasik method: is a method Methods use excimer laser, Femtosecond laser and are most commonly used in refractive surgery. In this method, the doctor will create a thin corneal sheet, then use a laser to reshape the cornea. PRK method: Follow the principle of removing the corneal epithelium, then using a laser to create a flat or curved surface. Eye surgery with this method will heal within 3-6 months. However, PRK is not performed as much as Lasik, because lasik method leaves less scars and is more comfortable after surgery. Smile method: Has high accuracy, brings a sense of lightness and comfort to the patient. This method is often used to treat myopia and astigmatism for patients below 10 degrees, helping the eyes to have no complications of flap surgery and less dry after surgery. With its superior advantages, Lasik surgery is the most optimal method today, especially in cases of severe myopia, which will help restore vision after surgery quickly and can treat both eyes in a short period of time. same surgery. However, the choice of surgical method also depends on the patient's condition such as myopia, astigmatism, age and whether people over 40 years old should have myopia surgery or not...
See now: LASIK surgery for nearsightedness Is the market safe?

According to recommendations from doctors, before performing surgery for myopia, it is necessary to consider the purpose of implementation, because many patients choose the solution of myopia surgery to solve cosmetic problems. In fact, in cases where wearing glasses does not affect quality of life, surgery should not be performed.
So at what age is the most appropriate surgery for myopia? Accordingly, refractive surgery is performed when the patient is over 18 years old and at the stage of 40-45 years old, it should not be performed.
Besides age, before surgery, patients need to be accurately assessed the possibility of myopia progression. The degree of myopia progression depends not only on the age of the patient but also on the form of myopia. Therefore, refractive surgery is indicated when the patient has not increased the number of myopia in at least the last 6 months.
As recommended by doctors, myopia surgery is not indicated in some specific cases as follows:
Patients are suffering from acute or chronic eye diseases such as keratitis, conjunctivitis, and conjunctivitis. cornea, glaucoma, uveitis, corneal cones... Patients with systemic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, malignancy... Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.. .

Many patients often ask the question whether at the age of 40 should surgery for myopia or not? Accordingly, at the age of 40 years or older, the eyes will enter the presbyopia stage, the accommodation ability of the eyes will decrease over time, and for people with mild myopia, myopia may be gone by the age of 60. It is a bit late to perform refractive surgery at this age, because after myopia surgery, the patient only does not have to wear myopia glasses when looking at a distance, but to see close up clearly, he has to change to wearing glasses. There is also a surgical method to help people over 40 years old can see far and near clearly without glasses, but then surgery will have to affect the intraocular eye and have more risks than other surgeries.
In summary, refractive surgery improves vision in patients with myopia. However, this surgical method needs to be performed properly according to the patient's condition such as myopia degree, myopia progression rate, age... Patients need to go to a medical facility with reputable eye specialists to examination and specific advice. International General Hospital has full human resources and modern equipment to help diagnose and treat eye diseases.