Contact your Tampa, FL Optometrist to Learn More About Treatment Options

Presbyopia is a visual impairment related to age in which close range vision becomes significantly reduced. With the growing worldwide population reaching older ages, a significant number of individuals are developing the condition, which currently cannot be escaped.

Theories about the cause of presbyopia are that the eye will often harden around the age of 40, making it more difficult for the eyes to focus on an object, especially something nearby. Those with the condition usually manage with the situation by holding the paper away from their eyes or standing away from the object they are looking at. Shifting from focusing on far away objects to nearer ones can often be straining for people with presbyopia. This tension can add to one's discomfort by causing headaches, eye strain or fatigue.

Most commonly bifocal lenses or progressives (PALs) are worn to resolve this problem. A bifocal lens is separated into two points of focus, the main part of the lens has a prescription for viewing things from a distance and the lower portion of the lens is for focusing on things nearby. Progressive addition lenses use the same principal as bifocal lenses, but they offer a more subtle transition between the two prescriptions. Wearers will more easily adjust focus, as they might having normal eyesight. An alternative would be reading glasses which are usually worn just when needed as opposed to all day.

Presbyopes can also opt for multifocal contacts or monovision lens correction (in which one eye is prescribed a distance vision and the other near vision) to improve the condition. Different individuals adjust in different ways to multifocal lenses, so it may take a while to figure out if and in what combination they work for you.

In addition, there are surgical options that could be considered that you may want to discuss with your eye doctor. A lot of people find the most success by using a combination of treatments for presbyopia. Additionally, because your vision will likely worsen as you get older, it is likely that you will need to keep adjusting the strength of your correction. With the population growing older, there continues to be a significant amount of experimental treatment on the market currently to discover other effective solutions for the growing number of people dealing with presbyopia.

Noticing signs of presbyopia? Book a check up with your Tampa, FL optometrist. Improved vision can be yours!