As you age, you will notice changes in your body that you won’t be happy with. These include having stiff joints, experiencing constant weight gain, and the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and sunspots on your face.
However, the list doesn’t stop there. When you turn 40, you might also develop vision problems, the most common of which is presbyopia.
In this article, you’ll learn what this condition is about and the recommended treatment options, which include eyeglasses and presbyopia multifocal contact lenses.
What Is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is an age-related vision condition that makes it hard for you to focus on or see objects that are near.
Most people usually start experiencing this problem at the age of 40. It tends to worsen progressively until the patient reaches their late 60s when it levels off. The good news about presbyopia is that it doesn’t affect your standard distance vision.
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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Presbyopia?
Common signs and symptoms of presbyopia include:
- A growing need to read materials only at arm’s length
- Frequent eye strain
- Difficulty reading small print
- Headaches from staring at a computer or small screens up close
- The need for more light to read printed material
What Is Premature Presbyopia?
Although presbyopia is an age-related vision disorder, certain conditions can put you at a higher risk of developing it before you reach 40. When this occurs, you may have premature presbyopia.
The risk factors for premature presbyopia include:
- Dysautonomia (disorders caused by a malfunctioning autonomous nervous system or ANS), diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and other diseases
- Certain medications that treat allergies, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and diuretics
- History of head injury
- Farsightedness or hyperopia
How Do Doctors Diagnose Presbyopia?
An ophthalmologist can diagnose presbyopia when you undergo a routine, comprehensive eye exam to check your ability to see near and distant objects.
If your ophthalmologist suspects you have presbyopia, they may dilate your pupils to see the insides of your eyes better.
In case you have normal vision, you still need to see your ophthalmologist if you are age 40 or older. Get a routine checkup every year to check for presbyopia and other conditions.
It’s always advisable to go for routine eye checkups every year.
If you have the risk factors mentioned previously, visit your ophthalmologist more often as they recommend.
What Are the Treatment Options?
Although there is no cure for presbyopia, there are ways for you to manage this condition and have better vision.
When you have this condition, your ophthalmologist can prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to help see you clearly.
Eyeglasses
Different eyeglasses can help improve your vision when you have presbyopia. These are:
- Reading glasses – Sometimes, a simple reader may be all you need to read small print more clearly. You can choose one with the help of your ophthalmologist or an optometrist at an optical shop.
- Bifocals – Eyeglasses with bifocals have two different prescriptions in each lens. The top portion contains the distance prescription, helping you see distant objects. Meanwhile, the lower part holds a prescription that lets you see objects up close clearly.
- Progressives – This type of eyewear has multifocal lenses but does not have visible lines since they feature a more gradual, less noticeable shift between prescriptions.
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Contact lenses
If you are uncomfortable with wearing glasses, you may ask your ophthalmologist if you can try contact lenses.
Most eye specialists recommend multifocal contact lenses since those can accommodate multiple prescriptions in a single lens.
Multifocal contact lenses have three focal points: one for up-close focus and reading, one for intermediate vision, and one for distance views.
Because of this, you can focus clearly on objects at different distances, regardless of the activity, you’re doing.
Multifocal contact lenses for presbyopia are designed for near, far, and, sometimes, intermediate vision. With continuous use, your brain will learn to determine which part of the lens can give you the sharpest image.
Simultaneous vision contact lenses come in two designs: concentric and aspheric.
Contacts with a concentric design have alternating powers arranged in concentric circles. Their main viewing zone is in the center of the lens.
Lenses with an aspheric design have prescriptions that change gradually as your eyes move outward from the center of the lens.
Conclusion
Whether you are interested in eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you manage your presbyopia, consult your eye doctor first to get more details about these treatment options and help with choosing the best vision correction solution.