Presbyopia

What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia is a vision condition where one’s ability to focus (also known as accommodation) is significantly diminished. This occurs when the flexibility of the lenses in our eyes decreases, and it is a normal occurrence as we age. It translates into the inability to clearly see objects that are close to us, such as the text of a book we’re trying to read. The inflexibility of the lens means the image will not be projected directly onto the retina for it to be interpreted, i.e. for it to be perceived accurately. Instead, it is projected behind the retina.

Trying to push a close object further away (like a newspaper) that we could see just fine before is when we realize that something is changing with our vision. For this reason presbyopia is commonly known as a condition that develops with age, and we joke that our arms have “grown shorter” over time.

What are its symptoms?

The most obvious symptom is having a hard time accurately seeing close objects. Vision is blurred when reading, working on the computer, or trying to view anything close. This starts to happen around the age of 45 when your accommodation ability (the ability of your lens to adjust its focus) starts to diminish, and it slowly progresses until the age of 60, when it stabilizes and your “presbyopia vision” will not worsen.

How is it treated?

There are multiple options available for correcting your vision when you suffer from presbyopia. Presbyopia treatments vary and can include wearing bifocal glasses, wearing contact lenses for presbyopia, i.e. bifocal contacts, or having surgery. Bifocal glasses and bifocal contacts (both can also be multi-focal, allowing for correction for near, medium, and long distance vision) allow presbyopia patients to correct their vision as well as keep up with the progression of the condition until it stabilizes.

Surgery can help if you have presbyopia, but only in that you won’t have to wear bifocals. There are two types of surgery, LASIK or PRK, and they can correct either your nearsightedness or your farsightedness, but not both. Post surgery, you will still need correction (glasses or contacts) for the remaining vision condition.