Some questions regarding my vision

Hello!

I wear glasses.  Without them, my vision is really blurred that it's hard for me to recognize an approaching person unless they are within my arms length.

Last year, I had my eye check up and the doctor told me that my left eye is 225 while my right eye is 175.  I don't even know what that means.

Just a month ago I had my eyes checked again and the figure increased.  My left eye is now 350 while my right eye is 300.

I have a few questions:

1) Is it really that possible that it increased like that in a span of one year? I mean, I do read a lot, but I'm wondering if this will be the permanent pattern, like I have to change glasses yearly.

2) Can someone please explain to me what those figures mean.

3) I'm seriously considering LASIK or any eye surgery there to correct my vision, in my case, is it recommended to undergo LASIK?

4) Assuming that LASIK is possible, is it 100% guarantee that my vision will be 20-20 and I will never experience blurred vision again?

Thanks to all those who will take time to answer my queries.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Those numbers mean nothing. They need a plus or minus sign in front of them and a decimal point before the last two numbers.

JCH MD

[tnecniv]

Hello Doc!

Sorry about my ignorance about those matter.  Also for giving you incorrect figures. Anyway, I called up the optical shop and they told me that according to my last eye exams my left eye is at -3.25 and my right is at -2.25.

Doctor, can you please answer my queries posted above?

Thanks a lot for responding and have a good day!

[tnecniv]

anyone?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

1. Yes it could increase that much in 6-12 months. It's also possible that you might be overcorrected if the exam was done without dilation (cycloplegic refraction)
2. minus indicates myopia or nearsightedness  numbers are bending power in diopters
3.If you don't want to wear glasses or contcts LASIK is a good choice. Usually need to be 18 or over and have your glasses RX stop changing dramatically.
4. No of course not. This is life not heaven. Surgery will always carry risks and you could develop other eye problems later in life like glaucoma even if the lasik works perfect. In your early to mid 40's you will start to need reading glasses for near (presbyopia)

JCH MD

[tnecniv]

Thank you so much for those answers Doctor Hagan.

I'm actually comfortable with my glasses.  The only thing I don't like in them is that I can hardly see without them.

I also have contacts, however, my eyes quickly dry up when I am wearing them.  They gave me drops to ease the dryness and the uncomfortable feeling of it, but I have to use it every now and then.

Thank you so much for the LASIK info.  May I ask further, if there are other surgeries out there to correct my vision aside from LASIK?

Thanks and have a good day.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

The other ways of correcting myopia besides glasses, contacts and lasik I don't recommend in my practice: corneal inlays (Intacts), CK or conductive keratoplasty, intraocular contacts lens or refractive-clear lens exchange.  

JCH MD