Presbyopia
Introduction
Presbyopia is part of the natural aging process
of the eye, and can be easily corrected. Technically, presbyopia
is the loss of the eye's ability to change its focus to see
objects that are near. It is not a disease. It's as natural as
wrinkles, and it affects everybody at some point in life.
Presbyopia generally starts to appear around age 45.
Presbyopia is often confused with farsightedness , but the
two are different. Presbyopia occurs when the eye's lens loses
flexibility. Farsightedness occurs as a result of the shape of
the eyeball, which causes light rays to bend incorrectly once
they have entered the eye.
What Are the Symptoms of Presbyopia?
Symptoms of presbyopia include:
- Blurred vision at a normal reading distance
- The need to hold reading material at arm's length
- Headaches from doing close work
How Is Presbyopia Diagnosed?
An eye doctor can diagnose presbyopia by performing a
thorough eye exam.
How Is Presbyopia Treated?
Presbyopia cannot be cured. Instead, prescription glasses,
contact lens, reading glasses, progressive addition lenses, or
bifocals can help correct the effects of presbyopia. Bifocals
are often prescribed for presbyopia. Bifocals are eyeglasses
that have two different prescriptions in one spectacle lens. The
main part of the lens contains a prescription for
nearsightedness or farsightedness, while the lower portion of
the lens holds a stronger prescription to help a person see
objects up-close. Progressive addition lenses are similar to
bifocals but have a more gradual transition between the two
prescriptions.
Contact lenses used to treat presbyopia include multifocal
lenses, which come in soft or gas permeable versions, and
monovision lens, in which one eye wears a lens that aids in
seeing objects at a distance, while the other has a lens that
aids in near vision.
Laser surgery to reverse presbyopia is currently being used
in Canada and Mexico. However, it is still being investigated in
the U.S., and has not yet been approved by the FDA to treat
presbyopia.
The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a surgical
procedure called conductive keratoplasty to treat presbyopia.
Instead of lasers, conductive keratoplasty uses radio waves. The
physician uses a small instrument to apply the radio waves to
the eye (usually just one eye) to reshape the cornea and improve
the patient's vision of nearby objects.
Talk to your doctor to find out which treatment is best for
you.
Reviewed by the doctors at
The Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute.
Edited by
Charlotte E. Grayson, MD,
WebMD, October 2004.
Last Editorial Review: 6/21/2005
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