You may be aware of farsightedness and nearsightedness-hyperopia and myopia- but you may not be aware of presbyopia. Often times it is mistaken for farsightedness, which is a refractive error in vision, because it has similar symptoms, not able to see things up close clearly.
Detecting Presbyopia
According to the U.S. Census Bureau over 150 billion Americans over the age of 40 have presbyopia and that number will only get larger with growing number of those reaching 40 years old.
Presbyopia can be thought of as part of the aging process. When people approach middle age the lenses in their eyes begin to lose some of their flexibility or elasticity. The muscles connected to our inter-ocular lens become thinner and stretch as we focus on objects at a distance. As we focus on something close up these muscles relax and return to its thicker normal state.
As we age the ability for our lenses to return to this normal thicker state reduces, creating problems seeing objects up close. Symptoms include difficulty reading up close, as well as blurred vision. Sometimes it is called ‘long arm syndrome’ because people who have it can see clearly when the print is held further out.
Treatment
As like most eye conditions, treatment for presbyopia includes contact lenses and glasses. Progressive lenses are popular because they provide great vision for near, distance and anything in between. They are similar to bifocals but offer a more gradual transition and there isn’t an unsightly visible line. Contact lenses are also a good option.
Because our eyes change as we get older it is important to have regular eye exams. Presbyopia has very few symptoms in the early stages which is why it is so important to have regular exam and scheduling an appointment today with Lake Nona Eye Care for healthy eyes.