You Can't Hide from Presbyopia, but There Are Treatment Options

By Amy Teeple

Published on July 24, 2008

"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." – Benjamin Franklin

No offense to Ben Franklin, but he forgot something: presbyopia.

What's Presbyopia and Why Should I Care?

Presbyopia is the polite way of saying, "You're old and you need reading glasses." Okay, okay, I know that 40 is not old (especially now that I am rapidly approaching that age myself). However, even though 40 is now touted as the new 20, it is still around the time when our bodies begin to feel the effects of middle age. Even if you are in great physical shape, your eyes will begin to show wear and tear, and presbyopia will find you.

In a nutshell, presbyopia is the onset of blurred vision for close objects. Its symptoms are similar to farsightedness (or hyperopia). However, unlike farsightedness, presbyopia is not caused by a refractive error in the shape of your eye. Instead it is caused by the age-related loss of flexibility and elasticity in the lens and muscles of your eye. Basically, it doesn't matter how young the rest of you feels, your eyes will start to feel their age.

What I Can Do about It?

I hate to tell you, but there's nothing you can do to prevent presbyopia. There aren't any exercises you can do; you can't do eye squats or lunges. There's no magic pill you can take. If you're lucky enough to get older, then you're going to be affected by presbyopia. (It's not a bad thing considering the alternative to aging.)

My optometrist informed me that, although presbyopia typically begins to affect people in their early to mid 40s, if you are farsighted, it could affect you as early as 38. There is some hope, however. She stated that eating a well-balanced diet and giving your eyes a break from the computer could improve your overall eye health, possibly delaying the onset of presbyopia.

I Want to See Clearly – What Are My Options?

Did you ever wonder why there are racks of reading glasses at Wal-Mart, grocery stores, airport gift shops, department stores, dollar stores (or 99 cent stores if you're really frugal), and everywhere in between? It's because, although there are several vision correction options for presbyopia, the simplest solution is reading glasses. These basic lenses (in their various strengths) provide the level of correction needed for presbyopia. They can be used if you've never needed glasses or even as a second set of glasses to complement your prescription glasses for farsightedness.

If you already have glasses or contacts and don't want to deal with having a second set of glasses, you can get bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses. Your eye doctor can write a new prescription to meet your current vision needs.

Beyond Reading Glasses

Despite the plethora of stylish frames available, you still might not be the glasses type of person. Don't worry. Other, more drastic, options are available to treat presbyopia including:

• Intraocular lenses (IOLs) – These lenses can be implanted as a replacement for your eye's natural lens. Typically used to treat cataracts, some IOLs (including crystalens®, ReSTOR®, and ReZoom™) have also been effective in treating presbyopia.
• Monovision LASIK – Unlike traditional LASIK, monovision LASIK corrects one eye for distance vision and one eye for near vision. You might enjoy the freedom from glasses, but there is a chance you will have trouble adjusting to your eyes working independent of each other. It's best to test this out with monovision contact lenses before undergoing permanent surgery.
• Conductive keratoplasty (CK) – This refractive surgical procedure uses radiofrequency energy instead of a scalpel to reshape the cornea. If you are over 40, have presbyopia, and have no other vision problems, CK may be a good treatment for you.

What's My Next Move?

If you're noticing that you're holding the menu a little further away or squinting at your computer, it's time to go see the eye doctor. Actually, I learned during my last eye exam that you should have an exam every one to two years (as opposed to the 18 that I had waited). Just like death and taxes, presbyopia is inevitable, so just accept this and go get your eyes checked.