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.
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Top Presbyopia Related Articles
What Are the Types of Eye Care?
Many common eye disorders resolve without treatment and some may be managed with over-the-counter (OTC) products. It's important to visit a physician or ophthalmologist is the problem involves the eyeball itself or the condition hasn't improved after 72 hours of use of an OTC eye care product.Eyeglasses, Sunglasses, and Magnifying Glasses
Nonprescription eyeglasses are available over the counter (OTC) and are typically used by people who can no longer read fine print. OTC trifocals are helpful for those who require multiple distances or focal lengths for near and intermediate tasks. OTC sunglasses should offer 100% protection from the sun's UVA and UVB rays. OTC magnifying glasses are useful for viewing tiny objects or fine print.Eyewear Slideshow
Learn about your eye care needs and fashion wishes -- with eye glasses, frames and eyewear for computer use, reading, driving, sports and more.Laser Eye Surgery
How does LASIK work? Get information on this popular laser eye surgery, the procedure, success rates, and possible vision side effects from LASIK eye surgery.LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK (laser in situ keratomileusis) eye surgery is a procedure in which a laser is used beneath the corneal flap to reshape the cornea. This process is used to treat refractive errors, improve vision, and eliminate or reduce the need for contact lenses or glasses. LASIK eye surgery comes in three main types: conventional LASIK, wavefront-optimized LASIK, and wavefront-guided LASIK.Photorefractive Keratectomy
PRK is a type of laser eye surgery that is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. The procedure involves using a laser to reshape the cornea. Potential side effects include seeing a mirror glare, seeing mild halos, and loss of best vision achieved with glasses.pilocarpine hydrochloride (Vuity ophthalmic solution)
Vuity (pilocarpine hydrochloride) ophthalmic solution eye drops is a prescription medication used to treat the symptoms of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension intraocular pressure, acute angle-closure glaucoma, postoperative elevated IOP, miosis induction, and presbyopia. Serious side effects include hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face/lips/tongue/throat, blurred vision, eye pain, visual impairment, eye irritation, and excessive tearing.