Getting used to blended vision – how long does it take?

Laser blended vision is an effective treatment for patients with presbyopia.

It can take the brain a little time to adjust to the change, however. Every patient is different, but the typical blended vision surgery recovery time is around 6-8 weeks.

How it works

Blended vision uses laser eye surgery to treat one eye for distance vision and the other for close-up distances. After surgery, both laser-corrected eyes will work together, ‘blending’ their focus to give you a wider range of vision.

But it’s not something that every patient will get used to overnight. We rely on our brains to interpret what our eyes tell us, translating the data that comes through our corneas into information that makes sense in our minds. However, blended vision represents a big change in the visual signals we receive. With each eye optimised for a different distance, it’s normal at first to experience ‘visual confusion’ when experiencing this new way of seeing.

A period of adjustment

Immediately following surgery, you’re likely to experience some level of blurred vision as your brain works out how to process the images your eyes are receiving. As time goes by, your brain will gradually get used to the new ways in which your eyes are focusing and rewire itself to serve up images that make sense! Little by little, you should start to experience the benefits of blended vision. You may find that your brain favours one eye over the other at first, so that your distance vision ‘wins out’ over near vision or vice versa.

It’s a big period of adjustment that takes longer for some patients than others. Some people may experience perfect vision in a matter of days or weeks following surgery, while others may take 6 months or longer for the full benefits to take effect. You’ll have regular check-ups with your surgeon, who will check that everything is progressing as it should.

Advantages over monovision

Laser blended vision is a relatively new treatment for presbyopia. It’s an ‘upgrade’ on monovision – a treatment based on a similar principle of treating the two eyes for different distances, using contact lenses or laser surgery with different prescriptions.

The difference with blended vision is that, as the name suggests, it results in a wider range of vision for each eye, so that there’s an overlap between the two. As a result, it’s less of a dramatic change for your brain to get used to, so the period of adjustment is usually much shorter.

Getting back to everyday activities

Although blended vision eye correction surgery will involve weeks or months of adjustment, your life doesn’t have to stand still during this time.

You’ll have just undergone laser eye surgery, so the usual recovery period applies for things like swimming, showers and make-up use, which can cause infection in the early days.

Even if you’re not able to see perfectly straight away, you’re likely to be able to go back to work within a day or two. Always take advice from your surgeon, who will have a full understanding of your own particular case. If you’d like to find out more, read our information on laser blended vision.