AIM: To study the characteristics and curative effects of excimer laser in situ keratomileusis(LASIK)with monovision correction for myopia in older patients.

METHODS: Totally 104 myopic patients(186 eyes)with the age of 40 years or older were treated with LASIK. Monovision correction was chosen for all these patients. The preoperative refraction, refractive diopter supposed to be corrected, and the curative effects were analyzed.

RESULTS: The postoperative uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA)were improved significantly than of the preoperative in all 186 eyes after 1 month of operation(P<0.01). The postoperative UCVA ≥1.0 in 83.7% cases of nondominant eye(87/104)and 91.5% cases of dominant eye(75/82). The postoperative UCVA were better than preoperative best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA in most cases of dominant eye(P<0.01), and kept the same level in most cases of nondominant eye(P>0.05). The postoperative refraction of nondominant eyes was -0.70±0.12D, which share the same change with preoperative design -0.78±0.11D(P>0.05), but was higher than that of dominant eyes -0.04±0.28D(P<0.01). All the patients were satisfied with the postoperative far vision and 82.7% of the patients were satisfied with the postoperative near vision.

CONCLUSION: Most of 40 years of age or older patients treated with LASIK are high myopic or high myopic anisometropia patients; LASIK with monovision correction is safe and effective for older myopic patients. Actual corrective diopter may be reduced because of age-related presbyopia, and the far vision and near vision would be satisfactory postoperatively.