Presbyopia: Symptoms and Treatment

As you get older, you might start experiencing difficulty seeing objects that are nearby but see objects that a far away clearly. This condition is referred to as presbyopia. Do not be tricked into thinking it is a disease because of the fancy name. Presbyopia is a normal part of the aging process. Moreover, it is quite easy to rectify.

How Presbyopia Occurs

Many people tend to confuse presbyopia with farsightedness. The two are not the same thing. Farsightedness is a result of an oddly-shaped eyeball that leads to incorrect focusing of light rays when they enter your eye. On the other hand, presbyopia occurs when your eyes’ natural lens becomes less flexible.

Symptoms of Presbyopia

For most people, the symptoms of this condition start manifesting when they are around 40 years old. The typical symptoms of presbyopia generally involve a gradual deterioration in your ability to work or read up close. Some of the common symptoms of this condition include:

• Experiencing difficulty when reading small print.
• Experiencing headaches or eyestrain after doing close work or reading.
• Requiring brighter light when doing close work or reading.
• General problems focusing or even seeing things that are near you.
• Experiencing fatigue from doing work up close.
• Holding reading materials at least an arm's length away to improve your focus on it.
• Squinting.

According to eye specialists, some of these symptoms might worsen if you are in a poorly lit area or if you are tired.

Presbyopia’s Risk Factors

The most notable risk factor for this condition is age. People who are 40 years and above are at a higher risk of losing the ability to focus on objects that are nearby. Although it affects everyone, it is more pronounced in some people more than others.

Also, certain drugs and ailments can prompt this condition even if you are below 40 years of age. When this occurs, it is commonly referred to as premature presbyopia. In such instances, specialists recommend getting an exam for underlying medical conditions. Some of these conditions include heart disease, anemia, hyperopia, diabetes, and eye trauma. It may also be due to multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, or poor blood flow.

Others include:

• Unhealthy eating.
• Suffering from decompression sickness. Also referred to as “the bends,” it occurs when your body undergoes rapid decompression. For instance, this may occur if you surface too quickly when scuba diving.

Presbyopia Treatment

Since it is not a disease, there is no cure for presbyopia. However, there are a few treatment options available to correct your vision. Depending on the severity, you can opt for one of the following:

Prescription Lenses

If you already have eyeglasses to correct another eye issue or cannot find an appropriate magnification from the non-prescription options, this is a perfect solution for you.

Non-prescription Lenses

If you were not using eyeglasses before your presbyopia, this is a viable option. They are readily available in retail stores and other storefronts.

Surgery

Various options can surgically treat presbyopia. Some of them include laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), conductive keratoplasty (CK), or refractive lens replacement.

For more information about presbyopia, visit our Maple Eye and Laser Center at our offices in White Plains or Manhattan, New York. You can call us on 914-948-5157 to book an appointment.