Presbyopia is a common vision condition that usually occurs beginning around age 40, when the eye’s natural lens loses its flexibility, making focusing up close more difficult. People with presbyopia experience blurred near vision when reading, using the computer or reading text messages. While presbyopia is inevitable, there are several ways to restore near vision lost from presbyopia, including a new, innovative treatment. Dr. Brian Will of Will Vision and Laser Centers discusses these treatments in detail.
Typically, people begin experiencing symptoms of presbyopia after age 40. However, younger people can also experience blurred vision associated with the condition. Common symptoms include:
- Eye strain or headaches after reading up close
- Difficulty reading small print
- Squinting
- Fatigue from reading up close
- Need for brighter lighting when reading or doing close work
- Need for holding reading material at an arm’s distance to properly focus on it
Eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive addition lenses are the most common solution for presbyopia. Bifocal lenses have two points of focus, one for long distance vision and another for close vision. Progressive addition lenses offer a more gradual transition from near to far vision.
Monovision serves as an alternative to people with presbyopia who don’t want to wear reading glasses. Monovision allows you to wear one contact lens to correct your distance vision and another, in the other eye, to correct your near vision. However, the eye that sees well at a distance will be slightly blurred up close while the eye that sees well up close will be slightly blurred when looking at longer distances. Additionally, some people may experience some vision loss in very dim light conditions. In these cases, your eye doctor may recommend you wear prescription glasses.