Presbyopic

Presbyopia is a condition associated with the aging of the eye that results in progressively worsening ability to focus clearly on close objects. Symptoms, like difficulty reading small print, are usually first noticed between the ages of 40–50. The ability to focus on near objects declines throughout life, from an accommodation of about 20 dioptres (ability to focus at 50 mm away) in a child, to 10 dioptres at age 25 (100 mm), and levels off at 0.5 to 1 dioptre at age 60 (ability to focus down to 1–2 meters only). The diagnosis of presbyopia is confirmed when a patient is not able to read letters smaller than a certain size from a standard eye chart.

Causes

Presbyopia is caused by a hardening of the lens of the eye, which occurs with aging. As the lens becomes less flexible, it is less able to change its shape to focus on near objects. The result is blurred vision.

Symptoms

The symptoms of presbyopia include difficulty reading small print, having to hold reading material farther away, headaches, and eye strain. Other conditions that can mimic presbyopia include eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.

Treatment

There is no cure for presbyopia, but it can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. In some cases, adding bifocals to an existing glasses prescription is sufficient. Some people may prefer to use reading glasses for close work and other activities. Contact lenses, including multifocal and bifocal lenses, can also provide near and distance vision correction. Refractive surgery, including LASIK, and lens implants may be an option for some patients.

See also

• Myopia
• Hypermetropia
• Astigmatism (eye)

External

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration

• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)

• Anophthalmia and Microphthalmia

• Astigmatism

B

• Behçet's Disease* Bietti's Crystalline Dystrophy

• Blepharitis* Blepharospasm

C

• Cataracts

• Coloboma

• Color Blindness

• Corneal Conditions

D

• Diabetic Retinopathy

• Dry Eye

F

• Floaters

G

• Glaucoma

I

• Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

L

• Low Vision

M

• Macular Edema

• Macular Hole

• Macular Pucker

P

• Pink Eye

R

• Rare Diseases

• Refractive Errors

• Retinal Detachment

• Retinitis Pigmentosa

• Retinoblastoma

• Retinopathy of Prematurity

S

• Stargardt Disease

U

• Usher Syndrome

• Uveitis

V

• Vitreous Detachment

Presbyopic Resources
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