Monovision is a treatment technique that is often prescribed for people age 40 and over who are affected by presbyopia. Presbyopia is when the eye’s crystalline lens loses its ability to bring close objects into clear focus making it difficult to read without holding the paper as far away as possible.
Monovision entails wearing a contact lens for near vision in one eye and, if needed, a lens for distance vision in the other eye. Most people who try wearing monovision contacts find that they are easy to adjust to.
Alternative treatments for presbyopia include a combination of contact lenses and reading glasses, or bifocal contact lenses.
Monovision is also a common option for patients over 40 pursuing LASIK correction. This same modality can be done with contact lenses as an alternative to refractive surgery or reading glasses.