According to certain embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical system for treating presbyopia comprises controllable components and a computer. The controllable components comprise a light source that generates a light beam and a scanner that directs a focal point of the light beam. The computer determines an ablation profile to remove tissue from a central region and a peripheral region of a cornea of a first eye of a pair of eyes. The ablation profile is designed to remove tissue from the central region to yield a protrusion to provide for near-vision, and to remove tissue from the peripheral region to correct to emmetropia.

Methods for treating presbyopia in a patient's eye involve inducing spherical aberration in a central area of the pupil. In embodiments, refractive properties of an eye are measured to obtain a baseline refractive correction. A lens for wearing on the eye is provided to create spherical aberration or a distribution of spherical aberrations beyond the baseline refractive correction in the central area of the pupil. The central area of the pupil has a diameter of between 1.5 mm and 4.0 mm and has negligible spherical aberration without the treatment.