Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the lens loses its flexibility, making it difficult to focus on close objects. During the early and middle years of life, the crystalline lens of the eye has the ability to focus both near and distant images by getting thicker for near objects and thinner for distant objects. When this ability is lost, presbyopia results.

Presbyopia Symptoms

This eye condition undergoes gradual development and the initial signs and symptoms might begin to appear when you are in your 40s. Some of those include:

• Inclination to place reading material farther and farther away to be able to see the letters clearly

• Blurriness in vision at normal reading distance

• Eyestrain, often leading to headaches, after getting engaged in reading or other close-up work

• Tiredness or exposure to dim lighting further aggravates these symptoms

• Blurry close vision that starts after age 40

• Difficulty adjusting focus when switching from near to distance vision

• Eye fatigue along with headaches when doing close work

Causes of presbyopia:

• Age: As we mature, the lenses in the eyes lose some of their elasticity, and without elasticity they lose some of their ability to change focus for different distances. The lens is controlled by the ciliary muscle. As this muscle encounters increased resistance it works harder to control the lens. Eventually the ciliary cannot control the lens and reading becomes difficult. Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Long before an individual is aware that seeing close up is becoming more difficult, the lenses in the eyes have begun losing their ability to flatten and thicken. Only when the loss of elasticity impairs vision to a noticeable degree is the change recognized. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-forties.

• Genetics

• Stress

• Personality type

• Diet

Treatment of presbyopia

Reading glasses, contact lenses and visual improvement therapies are used by many for the treatment of presbyopia.

Diet and supplementation can also be of help.

Can young children have presbyopia?

Young children naturally have soft lenses, but there are medical conditions that can make it difficult for them to pull those lenses into focus. Like presbyopia, this often shows up as trouble seeing up close. In children and young people, this is called accommodative insufficiency.

At what age does presbyopia start?

Overview. Presbyopia is the gradual loss of your eyes' ability to focus on nearby objects. It's a natural, often annoying part of aging. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in your early to mid-40s and continues to worsen until around age 65.

Can presbyopia be temporary?

There is no way to stop or reverse the normal aging process that causes presbyopia. However, presbyopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. People who have trouble seeing both near and far may benefit from progressive lenses. In the future, presbyopia may be treated with eye drops.

How can I prevent presbyopia?

Presbyopia cannot be prevented any more than aging can be prevented. However, general eye health practices may delay the progression of presbyopia and reduce your risk for developing more serious eye conditions.

Some things you can do to ensure overall eye health include:

• Regular eye exams
• Eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in leafy vegetables, fish, protein, and citrus fruits or juices
• Taking eye vitamins
• Exercising
• Limiting alcohol
• Not smoking
• Controlling chronic health conditions that could negatively impact your vision such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• Wearing sunglasses
• Wearing safety glasses when participating in activities that pose the risk of eye injury
• Wearing the right strength of prescription eyewear

Reference:

• advancedfamilyeyecare.com/presbyopia
• irisvision.com/presbyopia-common-eye-condition-related-to-aging
• aao.org › eye-health › diseases American Academy of Ophthalmology
• goodrx.com › ... › Presbyopia
• mayoclinic.org › presbyopia
• agape1.com