Introduction to Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a Treatable Condition that Occurs In Almost Everyone
Dec 4, 2008
The curvature of the lens may change as well along with the wearing out of the ciliary muscles. These changes may also collectively lead to the development of presbyopia.
Experiencing Presbyopia
The condition affects just about everyone at a certain age. Symptoms are commonly noticed between the ages of 40 to 50. These may manifest as difficulty in reading fine print under conditions of poor lighting or experiencing eyestrain after prolonged periods of reading. The symptoms of presbyopia can often be nullified by conditions of bright sunlight as the iris closes to a very small size, achieving a greater depth of focus without the use of the natural focusing mechanism of the eye.
Treating the Condition
Nevertheless the condition is not usually curable. It can however be improved by using eyeglasses or contact lenses. Depending on the existence of other refractory conditions, multifocal lenses may be of value. With worsening focus, the prescription lenses will need to be adapted accordingly. Bifocals and multifocals may not be the right solution for everyone. They can cause straight lines to appear bent and result in a feeling of dizziness depending on use. Using multiple prescription glasses may be an alternative solution to relying on multifocals. This option however, can be inconvenient and even distressing if a specific pair of prescription glasses is mistaken for another or misplaced.
Monovision may be used to get around wearing bifocals and reading glasses. This involves using an oppositely correcting contact lens for each eye so that one eye is able to see near while the other sees far. This can however, interfere with the perception of depth.
The implantation of corrective lenses is an option that has recently become available for those averse to using corrective eyeglasses and contact lenses. The downside of this option is the need to undergo an invasive procedure.
Recent advances in laser refractive surgery have been phenomenal and a unique solution is now available to many presbyopes. LASIK is now approved to treat a range of presbyopic conditions and this range continues to expand. LASIK is able to confer monovision more naturally than that obtained through the use of corrective lenses. It should be noted that the later development of presbyopia may confer an advantage to myopes in that reading can be comfortably engaged without assistance. Refractive surgery like LASIK that corrects such myopia early on would nullify this advantage.
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