What's Presbyopia And What Eye Care Options Are Available?

Presbyopia is a condition that many people over the age of 40 deal with daily. It is a result of natural aging. While other parts of your body begin to be effected by age, your eyes change as well. It is a natural process that is not preventable. If you are having trouble dealing with the fact that presbyopia is something that occurs with age, think of the condition like wrinkles. Everyone gets wrinkles as they age and most people are not that happy about the process. However, everyone sees wrinkles as a normal part of aging, which is how you should think of presbyopia as well.

Technicalities of Presbyopia

In technical terms, presbyopia is a condition where the crystalline lens loses elasticity. This lens is located inside the eye, so you won't be able to see any changes on the outside. You may first realize you are suffering from presbyopia when you try to read something close up. As you are reading the newspaper each day, you may find it increasingly difficult to focus on the articles. People with presbyopia have difficulty reading things close up. They may have great distance vision, but find words to be blurry as they bring them closer to their face. The eye simply has a hard time changing focus and that is what affects the near vision.

Options for Eye Care

You should know that presbyopia is not curable. It is something that simply must be dealt with as best as possible. It often gets worse over time, which is not usually welcoming news. However, there are ways to deal with this condition. The most common way to deal with the condition of presbyopia is with reading glasses. Reading glasses are great for close reading and seeing. They can be bought through your eye care professional or even at your local pharmacy. You have likely seen the little displays of reading glasses in your pharmacy. If you don't know your prescription power for reading glasses, try talking with your eye doctor. Figuring it out yourself will not harm your eyes however and is often a better option. Try on a few pairs to see which ones help you read best up close. You can also take a small test that is often located near these reading glasses displays to see which power you need.

Many people think Lasik surgery is an option for those with presbyopia. This is not true however. If you suffer from Myopia, Hyperopia, or Astigmatism, Lasik surgery can help correct these conditions. It will not correct presbyopia however. If you do have the surgery for the reasons listed above, you will still need reading glasses after your surgery. You may no longer need eyeglasses for distant vision however.

Sometimes if you wear contacts, you may be afraid to use your reading glasses. People with contacts can still wear reading glasses and may find them useful when used together. Certain contacts are made just for this condition. You can find multifocal contacts or monovision lens. These can be quite expensive however so you might want to stick with the inexpensive glasses. Some people are prescribed bifocals to tread presbyopia. These are great for some but others will find them too annoying to get used to.

A relatively new procedure for presbyopia is conductive keratoplasty. The procedure uses radio waves and a small instrument to reshape the cornea. This can help improve a patient's vision up close. This is a new procedure that has not yet been studied extensively however. You can talk with your doctor about this procedure if you are annoyed with reading glasses and want a better option for care.

While there are many different treatments for presbyopia, the most basic treatment of using reading glasses is probably the best one out there. If you are having trouble focusing close up, try talking with your eye care professional to be sure nothing else is going on with your eyes. Chances are you are suffering from presbyopia and can be treated easily with a pair of trendy reading eyeglasses. Whatever you do, don't suffer without taking action. There is no shame in needing a little assistance with your vision.