Presbyopia is a natural part of getting older. In fact, it’s as universal as getting wrinkles or gray hairs. If you have entered your 40s and find yourself holding your smartphone at arm’s length to type out a text or turning up the lights to read a magazine, you may be experiencing the effects of presbyopia.
Luckily, presbyopia can be helped with the team at Vista Eye Specialists. Read on as we share what you need to know about the condition and what we can do to fix it.
What Causes Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is the loss of clear near vision that occurs due to changes with the eye’s lens.
Your lens is similar to the lens of a camera. When you are young, your lens is elastic and can “autofocus,” or change shape to bring nearby objects into focus. Sometime after the age of 40, the lens starts to thicken and become more rigid. It can no longer change shape to bring near objects into focus. As a result, nearby objects and small text appear blurry.
Symptoms of Presbyopia
As mentioned, one of the chief symptoms of presbyopia is the need to hold reading material at arm’s length to see it clearly. You may also discover you need extra light when reading. And, you may experience eye strain or headaches after long periods of reading or doing close work.
Diagnosing Presbyopia
Presbyopia is diagnosed with a comprehensive eye exam. During the exam, we will dilate your pupils and look at the internal structures of your eyes. We will also perform a refraction assessment to evaluate how light waves are bent as they pass through your lens and cornea. A refraction assessment can tell us if you are suffering from other refractive errors, like astigmatism.
Presbyopia Treatment Options
Many patients with presbyopia elect to wear reading glasses, progressive lenses or bifocals to read or perform close work more comfortably. Monovision contact lens or multifocal contact lenses are also options available to our patients.
Another treatment option is to replace the natural lens with an artificial intraocular lens to allow for better near vision. Refractive lens exchange, or RLE, may appeal to you if you would like to be less dependent on glasses in your daily life. RLE is similar to cataract surgery and can be completed quickly, with a quick visual recovery.
Monovision LASIK can also be used to correct presbyopia. In this procedure, one eye is corrected for near vision and the other for distance vision. Monovision LASIK helps negate the effects of presbyopia and enable clear near and distance vision with little or no need for glasses.
Contact Vista Eye Specialists Today
If you are diagnosed with presbyopia, the team at Vista Eye Specialists can recommend the treatment that is right for your needs. Give us a call at 1-888-EYE-JANI (1-888-393-5264) or send us an email today to request an appointment at one of our offices.
