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Presbyopia and Getting Older


Visit your Manchester, CT Optometrist to Learn More About Treatment Options


Presbyopia is a visual impairment that comes with age in which objects at a close range, such as newspapers, books or sewing, become blurred. As people worldwide are reaching older ages, a significant number of individuals are developing the condition, which currently cannot be escaped.


Many believe that presbyopia is caused because the human eye will begin to lose flexibility around age 40, making it harder for the eyes to focus in on something, especially an object close by. Those with the condition often manage with the reduced vision by holding the paper far away or standing at a distance from the object they want to focus on. Transitions from looking at distant things to closer ones are often strenuous for people with presbyopia. The stress can worsen the situation resulting in eye strain, fatigues or headaches.


The most popular solutions for dealing with presbyopia are bifocals or progressives (PALs). A bifocal lens is separated into two prescriptions for vision, the main part of the lens has a prescription for viewing objects at a distance and the other part of the lens is for looking at objects that are close by. Progressive lenses work similarly to bifocals, but they have a more subtle gradient between the separate prescriptions. Users can more easily change visual focus, as they might with standard sight. An alternative would be reading glasses which, unlike bifocals or PALs which are worn all day, are used only as needed.


If contact lenses are preferable, you might want to consider multifocal lenses. Multifocal contact lenses don't work for everyone and can sometimes be uncomfortable, so it may take some time to determine if and in what combination they work for you.


There are also options for other procedures including surgery that could be considered that should be discussed with your eye doctor. A significant number of people are most successful using a combination of options for presbyopia. Furthermore, because your eyesight will likely deteriorate as you get older, it is likely that you will need to continually adjust your prescription. With the population growing older, there continues to be a significant amount of experimental treatment on the market currently to discover more and perhaps more permanent solutions for the growing number of people dealing with presbyopia.


Seeing signs of presbyopia? Schedule a visit with your Manchester, CT optometrist. A return to normal vision is worth it!