What is presbyopia?
Vision condition that is related to ageing. The crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility and as a consequence the ability to focus on images at a normal reading distance.
Presbyopia is when your eyes gradually lose the ability to see things clearly up close. It is a normal part of aging. In fact, the word “presbyopia” means “old eye” in Greek. You may start to notice presbyopia shortly after age 40. You will probably find that you hold reading materials farther away in order to see them clearly.
What are the common indicators of presbyopia?
The tendency to hold reading materials farther away, blurred near objects, and discomfort with reading are indicators.
What causes presbyopia?
Your clear lens sits inside the eye behind your colored iris. It changes shape to focus light onto the retina so you can see. When you are young, the lens is soft and flexible, easily changing shape. This lets you focus on objects both close-up and far away. After age 40, the lens becomes more rigid. It cannot change shape as easily. This makes it harder to read, thread a needle, or do other close-up tasks.
There is no way to stop or reverse the normal aging process that causes presbyopia. However, presbyopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. If you do not correct presbyopia, you may be bothered by headaches and eye strain.
Causes of Presbyopia
Unlike other refractive errors such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism, presbyopia is caused by an age-related process that leads to the eye’s lens losing its flexibility.
It is generally believed that as we age, changes in the lens’s proteins make the lens more rigid and less flexible over time. Also, muscles surrounding the lens may lose their elasticity. As the lens becomes less flexible and able to change shape as easily as it used to, the eye has a harder time focusing on close objects. This is why people over age 40 often find themselves holding reading material farther away to be able to see it clearly.
What treatment is offered for presbyopia?
Corrective lenses are usually prescribed to compensate for the difficulty with near vision (bifocals, trifocals, or progressive addition lenses).
