9 Things You Didn’t Know About Presbyopia

Do you need glasses to read and see close-up clearly? Are you holding your phone at arm’s length to answer your text messages? Then you might have an eye condition known as presbyopia (age-related up-close reading vision loss). If you’re new to this eye condition, the information below will shed some light on what it is, who gets it, and what you can do about it.

1. Presbyopia occurs in practically everyone. This age-related condition affects most people as they enter their 40s. It happens when the crystalline lens inside your eyes hardens and loses elasticity, causing difficulty seeing up-close.

2. You can have presbyopia and another type of eye condition, too. Presbyopia isn’t necessarily a standalone condition. You might have other eye conditions like myopia (trouble seeing far) and astigmatism, and find yourself using both reading glasses and glasses for distance, or maybe even bifocals.

3. You might confuse presbyopia with hyperopia (but they’re not the same thing). While the symptoms are the same (trouble seeing at close distances), presbyopia is exclusively linked to aging and hyperopia (farsightedness) is a refractive error that can happen to people of almost any age. Hyperopia occurs when the shape of the eye focuses light on a point after the retina, instead of on it like it’s supposed to.

4. Presbyopia can’t be prevented. Because presbyopia is just a part of the aging process, there is virtually no way to prevent its emergence. It’s just a natural part of life—and as common as going grey.

5. Yes, it will likely get worse over time. Presbyopia is a degenerative condition, which usually continues to worsen over time. This can be frustrating, with constantly changing prescriptions for reading glasses.

6. It’s not something new. Modern humans aren’t the only ones in history to be afflicted by age-related up-close reading vision loss. Its presence dates back a few millennia, with some ancient Greek thinkers recording recognizable presbyopia symptoms in early texts.

7. Symptoms might sneak up on you. You might not notice your struggles at first. You might be straining your eyes more, need brighter lights or have difficulty driving at night. Eventually, holding things farther away from you to read will become second nature

8. You never knew you needed so many pairs of readers. On your bedside table, next to the couch, in the car, and in your purse… You’ll need a pair of reading glasses for virtually everywhere you go to make sure you can see while going about your everyday activities. This can become costly and cumbersome, but it doesn’t have to be that way..

9. There’s a procedure that can treat your presbyopia. Reading glasses and bifocals can help in the short-term but usually need to be changed often as your presbyopia progresses. PresbyVision™  by LASIK MD is a procedure designed for the long-term treatment of not only your age-related up-close reading vision loss, but other eye conditions you might have, like myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. You will be able to enjoy clear vision from close-up, far away, and everywhere in between, without glasses or contacts. 

Sound interesting? Book your free, no-obligation consultation with LASIK MD online or call 1-855-448-2020.

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CARP members save up to 22% on a LASIK MD PresbyVision™ procedure*

_{**Only applicable towards PresbyVision™ procedures for both eyes. Up to a maximum savings of $550/eye. Cannot be combined with any other discount, special offer or corporate plan. Not applicable to a previously completed or booked procedure. Redeemable at all LASIK MD clinics except clinics located in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Offer subject to change or termination without prior notice. Proof of membership, enrolment or employment required.}