Is laser vision correction effective for low vision (amblyopia)?

Let’s say it right away: laser surgery is not able to make vision loss disappear. However, low vision is not a contraindication and does not preclude positive qualification for laser vision correction surgery.

It is worth undergoing laser vision correction, when we suffer from amblyopia, because:

• Laser intervention can correct a refractive error (defect in vision), which can be one of the causes of visual impairment.
• The eye that has gotten rid of the defect that is the cause of the visual impairment can be prescribed appropriate exercises (for example, covering the dominant eye – the “better” one – and looking with the visually impaired eye, if only while watching TV), the systematic repetition of which gives a chance to improve vision.
• Once the vision defect is corrected, a patient achieving a given visual acuity with the best correction will see the same or better already without the need for glasses or contact lenses – with laser correction we are able to correct the eye to the visual acuity that is the highest possible for the patient. If you are able to read 50% of an optotype chart in your best-fitting glasses or contact lenses, similar vision will be possible with laser eye surgery.
• Getting rid of high hyperopia, myopia or astigmatism can result in higher post-surgical visual acuity than in the best-matched pre-surgical correction.
• Laser vision correction with lasers is usually a very good solution for people with bifocals whose vision defect has so far had to remain uncorrected.
• In the case of laser vision correction in the course of vision loss caused by complicated astigmatism, the effect of the operation allows to approach with the quality of vision to that achievable with hard contact lenses.

Before a decision is made on laser vision correction for vision loss, it is important to properly qualify the patient for the procedure. In order to ensure that there is no ambiguity or confusion after laser surgery, it is necessary to conduct binaural tests and look at the cooperation between the eyes.