Presbyopia (The aging eye condition)

Presbyopia, also known as the aging eye condition is the normal loss of near focusing ability that occurs with age.

Presbyopia is caused by the hardening and loss of flexibility of the natural lens due to changes within the proteins of the lens and muscle fibers. As a result, the eye is not able to focus light directly on to the retina. Presbyopia is an age-related process which is characterized by the loss of accommodation, a reduced ability to focus at close distances.  Symptoms of presbyopia are often significant after the age of 40.

The signs and symptoms of presbyopia include difficulty reading small prints, difficulty seeing objects at close distances  and having to hold reading materials further than an arm’s distance away. A person with presbyopia may experience eye strain and headaches.

Presbyopia is usually corrected with eyeglasses with progressive lenses, bifocal lenses or reading glasses. Multifocal contact lenses, and a contact lens correction called monovision, may also be used to correct presbyopia. There are also different options for correcting presbyopia with surgery.