As you reach your 40s, you may start noticing changes in your body. Climbing a flight of stairs or carrying a box full of stuff may not be as easy as it looks. Your eyesight may not also be as sharp as it once was.
Presbyopia, in particular, is one of the most common age-related vision problems you may encounter as you age. When translated, this Greek term literally means “old eye”. Your eye doctor from Guilford Eye Center discusses this condition in detail.
How It Happens
Your lenses are naturally soft and flexible, allowing them to change shape when focusing light rays on your retina. They flatten to help you see distant objects clearly and curve when you’re looking at something up-close. Over time, however, they may start becoming rigid, compromising their shapeshifting abilities and resulting in eyesight difficulties.
How It Affects Your Eyesight
With your lenses not being able to easily change shape, you may develop blurry vision. You may struggle getting your daily activities done, especially close-range ones. This is why many middle-aged individuals prefer holding their reading materials away from them. Headaches and eye strain are fairly common among affected individuals, too. Having any of these symptoms is a sign for you to get an eye exam.
Its Difference From Hyperopia
You may have noticed that presbyopia’s hallmark symptom – difficulty seeing nearby objects – is similar to hyperopia, more commonly known as farsightedness. So, what’s the difference? For one, hyperopia is often detected during childhood while presbyopia is an age-related problem. The latter involves problems with the lenses while farsightedness is usually a product of an eyeball that’s too short or a cornea that lacks curvature.
How It’s Managed
We may prescribe reading eyeglasses to help you see things better up-close. If you have other vision problems, bifocals, progressive lenses or multifocal lenses may be better options. The first two both contain two prescriptions for close and far vision. Progressives, however, don’t have a visible junction separating the powers. Multifocal lenses have three lens areas for your improved close-up, intermediate and distant vision.
For more information about presbyopia, call us at (336) 387-6777, or fill out our form. We serve Greensboro and other communities throughout North Carolina.
