What is presbyopia?

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Presbyopia is when your eyes gradually lose the ability to see things clearly up close. It is a normal part of aging. 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. It's a common condition that can accompany cataracts.

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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.

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What are the symptoms?

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Common symptoms occur around age 40.

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Presbyopia symptoms may include:

• having eyestrain or headaches after reading or doing close work

• having difficulty reading small print

• needing brighter lighting when reading or doing close work

• needing to hold reading material at an arm’s distance to focus properly on it

• squinting

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What are the treatment options?

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However, presbyopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. People who have trouble seeing both near and far may benefit from progressive lenses. If you do not choose presbyopia correction with cataract surgery, you will still need reading glasses for near-vision tasks. If you do not correct presbyopia, you may be bothered by headaches and eye strain.

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*For more information, visit: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia

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If you are experiencing any symptoms or want to see what treatments are right for you please contact us to make an appointment.