Everything You Need to Know About Blended Vision

It’s a known fact that eyesight declines past the age of 40. Known as presbyopia — or ‘ageing eyes’ — many require glasses to compensate for blurred vision, especially when focusing on objects up-close, such as smartphones or newspapers. This new reality is only made worse with the hassle of using — and frequently misplacing eyeglasses, along with the discomfort of long-term wear.

But what if there was a permanent solution for correcting your vision and regain years of seeing and experiencing the world around you?

Why Opt for Blended Vision

Blended vision is a simple procedure that reduces your dependence on eyeglasses and contact lenses by maximizing the use of your dominant eye and correcting it for distance vision. That means your dominant eye is used for longer distances, while the other works to help you see objects up close.

Don’t worry — you won’t be left with two eyes that do completely different things; both will still work together so you can see clearly at any distance. It creates a seamless viewing experience by tapping into the brain’s natural ability to combine signals into a single, cohesive image. This is how it eliminates the need for glasses or bifocal lenses.

And unlike wearing glasses, this renewed vision doesn’t “switch off” because it’s constantly in use. And although the procedure sounds complicated, you won’t be able to tell which eye is set for distance or near sight.

Adjusting to Improved Vision Quickly

Blended vision offers unparalleled comfort and lifestyle benefits, especially for busy Toronto residents. From eliminating the hassle of progressive lenses to restoring healthy vision, blended vision allows you to tap into the normal function of your eyes and compensate for ageing-related vision loss.

The benefits of blended vision aren’t experienced overnight. Like any life-changing procedure, blended vision requires some time and adjustment in order to fully experience its effects. Here’s how to deal with the growing pains — and get used to blended, 20/20 vision.

Understand the Procedure

As its name suggests, blended vision can overlap in your field of vision, known as the ‘blend zone.’ This is achieved using excimer laser technology that alters your cornea’s shape to accommodate changes in what each eye perceives.

Blended vision is fast and virtually painless, with the entire procedure only taking about 20 to 30 minutes. The laser changes the cornea’s shape, establishing slight differences in the focal range in each eye, with the dominant eye being set to handle regular and distance vision and the other optimized for close-up viewing.

Blended vision restores the elasticity of the eyes’ lens and muscles, and enables them to focus sharply on objects both up-close and from a distance.

Be Patient

Blended vision is a laser correction procedure that promises drastically improved eyesight, but it’s not without temporary side effects. Most commonly, “visual confusion” occurs because both eyes are trained to perceive visual cues uniformly, rather than separately.

Blended vision optimizes each eye to perceive short and long distances, which results in a new way of seeing that requires the brain to adjust how it processes signals from the eyes. This adjustment period is necessary to fully experience the blending of wide and give your brain time to learn how to form a single cohesive image.

Brain Training

The brain is used to receiving the same cues from both eyes, so it has to adjust to perceiving differing images from each eye. In the first few days, many patients report instances wherein the brain seems to favour one eye over the other. This means objects from far away appear clearer while objects nearby will remain blurry. Similarly, it’s just as common for the short-range or up-close vision to “win out” on occasion, so objects up-close are easier to see clearly. This is completely normal.

Remember that we are all wired differently — this adjustment and “brain training” period is longer for some than others, ranging anywhere from days and weeks to even six months after the surgery for blended vision to take full effect.

Follow Post-Op Care Instructions

No matter how high the success rate of a procedure is, its success depends on patient aftercare. Laser procedures like blended vision follow the same techniques and use the same technology and equipment among healthcare providers. But can you exercise the same level of care and caution once you’re sent home after the procedure?

Before treatment, your ophthalmologist will walk you through the procedure and provide all the necessary information for recovery and post-op care. It’s up to you to follow them. Take necessary precautions, such as avoiding swimming, make-up use, and showers for as long as needed to avoid post-op infections. Show up for regular check-ups so your doctor can ensure that healing and vision blending are progressing as they should.

Resume Your Normal Routine Safely

Like any surgery, blended vision requires a recovery period — that means taking it easy for a few days immediately following the procedure. You may need to take a few days off of work and return within a day or two. And even as you resume your daily activities, be prepared to experience ongoing visual confusion.

To learn more about the benefits of blended vision in Toronto and other tips for adjusting to your new and improved eyesight, call Clearview Vision in Toronto at 647-493-6196, or contact us here.