Prognosis of refractive errors

In the vast majority of patients, refractive errors can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses that are graded every year depending on how the condition progresses.  

Myopia and hyperopia tend to stabilise in the patient’s second decade of life, although there is a type of degenerative pathological myopia in which steady progression is observed.  

Astigmatism tends to remain stable over time, and its progression is indicative of diseases such as keratoconus (a degenerative disease of the cornea) or ocular ectasia (protrusion or progressive thinning of the cornea) post-LASIK.  

Presbyopia tends to appear between the fourth and fifth decade of life, and progresses until the sixth, when it usually stabilises. 

There are surgical techniques to permanently correct refractive errors, such as laser (LASIK) and intraocular lenses, whether in patients with a transparent lens or patients with cataracts. To carry out these procedures, a detailed pre-operative ophthalmological examination is required.