What is Presbyopia? (Fast Facts)

Our eyes are complicated, highly evolved organs. They also happen to be one of the most fragile parts of our bodies, especially because much of our eye is external. For these reasons, eye conditions are a normal part of life; most are mild and can be treated and/or prevented.

One such eye condition which is commonplace is known as “presbyopia.” With such a lofty name, you would think the condition was rare or severe. We thought we’d cover the basics of presbyopia to put your mind at ease.

Presbyopia in a Nutshell

Presbyopia is Greek for “old eye.” This etymological fact might tell you all you need to know about the condition. To put it simply, presbyopia is the extremely common condition of not seeing objects close up, which occurs in middle or old age.

The cause of presbyopia is due to how our eyes function. If you’ve ever worn contact lenses, then you might be surprised to know that the inside of your eye has a natural lens that functions in much the same way. It’s a flexible, clear membrane that bends to bring objects into focus whether they are close or far away.

If you’ve ever left a contact lens out, or overused a lens, then you might also understand that this material can grow rigid. So, too, does the lens in your eye. As you age, the flexible properties of your lens decrease, making it harder for it to change shape and focus on objects close up. For this reason, presbyopia happens to everyone but impacts some more than others.

Symptoms of Presbyopia

The symptoms of presbyopia are so common that they are often simply considered to be symptoms of old age:

Inability to see objects up close
Needing to hold things far away to see them (like books or restaurant menus)
Chronic headaches
Eye fatigue

Ways to Prevent Presbyopia

We hate to disappoint you, but there is no way to prevent or even proactively minimize presbyopia. Presbyopia affects nearly 90% of the middle age and older population. Genetics plays a major role in just how much presbyopia impacts you.

Treatment for Presbyopia

While you can’t do anything to prevent presbyopia, you can certainly be on the lookout for its symptoms and act accordingly with a treatment plan. Yes, it’s possible to correct presbyopia, just as how it’s possible to correct most other problems with your vision:

Eye drops – drops containing pilocarpine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution can be used daily to reduce the size of your pupils, which makes it easier for your more-rigid lens to focus. These drops will typically work for 6 hours, so it’s a viable option for seeing through the day.
Bifocal lenses – bifocal lenses are glasses (or contacts, thanks to advancements in technology) that have two different focal ranges in the lens. The top portion of the lens is for correcting your normal vision and the bottom portion corrects your presbyopia, allowing you to focus on objects close up when you look through the bottom portion of your glasses.
Refractive surgery – surgeries like LASIK and PRK can change the shape of your cornea, thus correcting the shape of the lens in your eye and improving your day-to-day vision to correct or minimize your presbyopia.

Do you suffer from presbyopia? A good book or a restaurant menu shouldn’t be an obstacle in your old age. Reach out to us today to explore options for correcting your close-up vision.

Reading in Low Light Will Damage Your Eyes

You might have heard this from one (or both of your parents) when reading in a dark room as a child. Maybe you prefer to read in the dark or simply continually forget to turn that overhead light on. Whatever the case, we can assure you that reading or working in low light does not cause damage to your eyes. It will, however, cause eye fatigue, which is short-term.

Vision Loss is Inevitable

While it’s true that degenerative vision is normal as you age, do not discount the power of regular vision exams to minimize your vision loss. Beyond that, don’t forget to practice eye safety while working or even doing yard work. While a slight loss of vision is inevitable, you can protect much of your vision through due diligence.

Eye Exams Are Only Necessary if You Encounter Eye Problems

By all means, if you notice a change in your vision, then please schedule an eye exam as soon as you can. However, many eye diseases and vision problems start slowly and are undetectable until they grow into larger problems. Regular eye exams are a proactive measure to detect eye problems well before they impact your life.

Sitting Too Close to the TV Will Damage Your Eyes

We correct our children enough as it is. Believe it or not, the distance in which they sit in front of the television has no impact on their vision. Children prefer to be close to the television because they like to see the detail of what they are looking at—their brains absorb much more sensory information than adults, so they have a predilection to get up close and personal with the source.

Are you interested in an eye exam? Whether you notice a change in your vision or not, we recommend annual exams for all our patients. Reach out to us today!