What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia is a natural part of aging. When you are around age 40, certain changes happen in your eyes. The lenses get thicker. The muscles around the lenses get weaker. And light entering the eye is focused behind the retina instead of on it.

These changes make it harder to read and focus on things that are up close. It may be harder to see in low light or when you are tired. You could also have headaches or eyestrain.

Eyeglasses or contact lenses can help. If you did not wear glasses or contacts before, you may be able to use reading glasses that you buy without a prescription. Ask your eye doctor about those.

If you already wear glasses or contacts, you may need a new prescription. This prescription may change over time if your vision gets worse.

Sometimes surgery is used to treat presbyopia.

Near vision gets worse because of presbyopia starting around age 40. It gradually gets worse. Then it stabilizes around age 60.

The main symptom of presbyopia is blurred vision, especially when you do close work or try to focus on near objects. This is worse in dim light or when you are fatigued. Presbyopia can also cause headaches or eyestrain.

Presbyopia can often be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. In some cases, nonprescription reading glasses may be sufficient. But check with your eye doctor to find the right glasses for you. If you don't want to wear glasses or contacts, surgery may be an option. But it won't restore perfect vision.

Presbyopia can often be diagnosed with a general eye exam. Your doctor will test your visual acuity (sharpness of vision) and how your eyes change focus from near to far. They'll also check the muscles in your eyes and the condition of your retinas. Measurements may be taken for glasses or contact lenses.

Regular eye exams can help keep your eyes healthy. You can also reduce eyestrain by wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses as prescribed. If you do closeup work that is hard on your eyes, take frequent breaks. And make sure that you have good light for reading, working, or studying.

Presbyopia is a natural part of aging. As you grow older, the lenses in your eyes thicken. They lose their elasticity, and the muscles surrounding the lenses weaken. Both these changes decrease your ability to focus, especially on near objects. The changes take place gradually, though it may seem like it happens quickly.

Presbyopia is the normal worsening of vision with age, especially near vision. As you approach middle age, the lenses in your eyes thicken and lose flexibility. This makes it harder for your eyes to focus on objects at varying distances.