Presbyopia
When we are young we can accommodate, alter the focus of our eye, between distant and near objects. Those fortunate enough to be “normal sighted” will probably be able to read small print nearly up to their nose at the age of ten, but by the time they are fifty they will be struggling to read the same print at arms length in even the brightest light.
This loss of accommodation is part of the normal ageing process and results in blurring of near vision. As we age, the muscles supporting the lens of our eye become less effective and progressively unable to focus the lens for near vision. It is a perfectly normal but frustrating process starting in late childhood, though only producing symptoms years later.
Presbyopia affects absolutely everybody, although the age at which it begins to cause problems varies from one individual to another. Most people find that in their 40s they require reading glasses.
Hyperopic (long-sighted) people, who have worn glasses all their life for distance vision, will now require bifocals. Myopes (short-sighted) in contrast often take their glasses off to read. New surgical techniques such as PRELEX (Presbyopic Lens Exchange) have been very successful in treating people with presbyopia. Crystalens HD™ is another new treatment.