Eye Health Matters > Aging Eyes (Presbyopia)

Presbyopia is a condition in which the lens of the eye gradually loses its flexibility, making it harder to focus clearly on close objects such as printed words. Distance vision is usually unaffected.

Presbyopia is part of the normal aging process and is easily treated with eyeglasses or contact lenses. LASIK and other types of surgery cannot prevent this natural occurrence, which affects nearly everyone by age 50, but LASIK can be used to significantly reduce the need for reading glasses by incorporating a monovision treatment plan.

As the lens loses its elasticity, it becomes less capable of "bending" and adding power to the visual system in order to maintain a close range of focus.

Presbyopia usually becomes apparent in your early- to mid-40s, but it's actually a gradual process that begins decades earlier in normal development. The visual effects caused by presbyopia may slowly worsen for several years, requiring periodic changes in your lens prescription that usually stabilize by age 65 or 70.

Those who are farsighted (and already have trouble seeing near objects) may experience presbyopia earlier, as well as people who live in tropical climates and at sea level.

Symptoms

The first sign of presbyopia is often the need to hold reading material at arm's length in order to see letters clearly. In addition to blurred vision when reading or doing other close-vision activities at a distance that was previously comfortable, symptoms can include:

• Requiring brighter light to see clearly
  
• Eye strain, fatigue or discomfort
  
• A decreased ability to see in darkness, and/or increased sensitivity to glare
  
• Headaches, due to muscle tension or strain as the eye tries to adjust

If you are under age 40 and notice difficulty reading, contact your eye doctor because these symptoms could indicate health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, infections, or cataracts.

You can't prevent presbyopia, as it is an inevitable part of aging. It is not caused, nor can it be prevented by lifestyle, diet or visual habits. However, some people who do a lot of close visual work such as intensive reading or computer work may develop it earlier than others. You can help minimize related eyestrain by taking a brief break from close visual tasks every hour or so, and by using bright light when reading.