What are the options for high short sightedness?
The options for high short sightedness are laser procedures where the cornea can safely spare the tissue, and lens-based options such as an implantable lens where it cannot. Which applies to you depends on your measurements.
- Subject
- Vision problems
- Topic
- Myopia (short sightedness)
- Kind of question
- What is…
- Procedures
- LASIK, SMILE, ICL
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
An important part of the assessment at high prescriptions is the retina rather than the cornea, because highly short sighted eyes are more prone to retinal problems and those should be examined regardless of what is planned at the front of the eye.
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision problems & prescriptions in Myopia (short sightedness) . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Procedure SMILE
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
- Place SMILE in Dubai
- Procedure LASIK
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026
- European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons
A European professional society for refractive and cataract surgery, publishing guidance and outcome registries.
Used for Refractive surgery outcome measurement and reporting.
Link checked 22 September 2026