Presbyopia 

Presbyopia is a common age-related condition that affects the ability to focus on close-up objects.  

Causes: 

Over time, the lens becomes stiffer and less elastic, making it harder for the eye to focus on close objects. Also, the lens zonules lose their flexibility making it harder for the ciliary muscle to change the shape of the lens of the eye.  This process typically begins around the age of 40 and progresses with time. This process typically plateaus in the early 50’s.  

Symptoms: 

• Difficulty reading text at near, such as on smart phones, books, or menus 

• Holding reading material farther away to see it clearly (Patient’s will describe their arms are not long enough).  

• Eye strain or headaches after reading or doing close-up work 

• Blurry vision when going from near to far objects.  

Treatment: 

While presbyopia cannot be prevented (it happens with treatment or without treatment), it can be managed with various treatments: 

• Reading glasses: These are a good solution to help someone to see at one area of focus. You may need different strengths of reading glasses for different tasks, such as reading on a smartphone to working on a desktop computer. 

• Bifocal or multifocal lenses: These glasses have multiple prescriptions in one lens, allowing users to see clearly at many different distances. 

• Contact lenses: Options like multifocal or monovision contacts can help address presbyopia. 

• Surgical options: Clear lens exchange is a great option to allow patients to see far and near. Sometimes monovision LASIK/PRK or ICL are good options as well.