Presbyopia is the most common eye condition that naturally affects everyone over time. It is when your eyes lose the ability to focus on close objects; like reading and computer. In many cases, people find it difficult to see their food whilst eating.
What causes presbyopia?
When you are young and healthy, your lens has the ability to change shape and focus at different distances both long distance and close up. Over time, as we all get older, the lens becomes less effective at focusing the image on the retina, due to the hardening and thickening of the lens. The muscles that change the shape of the lens, allowing it to focus, also become rigid, further reducing its ability to change shape and focus.
Symptoms of presbyopia:
- Difficulty seeing close up, people often complain their arms are not long enough!
- Eye strain whilst doing close work
- Blurry vision whilst looking at close objects like, reading and the computer
- Headaches and tiredness
If you experience any of the symptoms above, you would be recommended to have an eye test.
Presbyopia treatment:
Presbyopia can easily be corrected by visiting your optometrist and have glasses or contact lenses prescribed.
Presbyopia can be corrected with prescription lenses to suit your needs and lifestyle. Some people like to have single vision reading glasses. However varifocals have become more popular over the years, due to the increased use of electronic devices like smart phones and computers.
There are also surgical procedures that can be considered. LASIK advanced vision correction surgery is one option, and surgery to implant a multifocal intraocular lens is another option.