Presbyopia
Do you struggle to focus when reading and does your vision only get clearer when you have your reading material held farther away? Presbyopia is an age-related eye condition where our eyes lose the ability to focus on things up close.
Presbyopia is typically present in individuals aged 40 and above. Some of the common visual symptoms are:
- Having difficulty reading small print
- Requiring brighter light when reading
- Having eye strain or headache when reading or doing work close up
- Difficulty focusing on objects which are nearer
What Causes Presbyopia?
Presbyopia occurs as part of the natural process of ageing when the lens inside the eye becomes less flexible, making it harder for the eye to focus on objects which are nearer.
While there is no way to reverse this normal ageing process, presbyopia can be managed with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.
The most common surgical procedure for presbyopia is monovision. In monovision, one eye is corrected for near vision while the other eye is corrected for distant vision. Your ophthalmologist may recommend you to try monovision lenses before you decide on having the procedure, this can help you better visualise the outcome of the procedure.
Presbyopia can also be corrected during cataract surgery where you can discuss with your ophthalmologist on the types of IOL implants that work best for your lifestyle.
What Happens with Presbyopia?
Presbyopia increases with age, and your near vision will gradually deteriorate which may affect your lifestyle over time. And if you are highly short-sighted, chances of retinal detachment would increase as well as you age. Presbyopia increases with age, and your near vision will gradually deteriorate which may affect your lifestyle over time. Being aware of the current state of your eye health helps to detect any eye-related issues and will allow you to benefit from early intervention and treatment. Being aware of the current state of your eye health helps to detect any eye-related issues and will allow you to benefit from early intervention and treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that you get an eye examination every two years, especially after the age of 40. Read more about why you should get an eye examination here.
Are you struggling to focus while reading? Speak to an opthalmologist on presbyopia correction today. LSC Eye Clinic is a trusted eye specialist clinic in Singapore with 15 years of experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Although hyperopia and presbyopia both share similar symptoms where near objects appear blurry and more distant objects are clearer, they are actually two different vision conditions.
Hyperopia is typically a refractive error that is present at birth. It occurs when the individual’s eye is shorter than normal or if the cornea is too flat. It is possible for hyperopic individuals to develop presbyopia with age.
In a typical monovision LASIK procedure, one eye will be corrected for distance vision, while the other eye will be intentionally over or under corrected for near vision, leaving it mildly near-sighted. The mild near-sightedness of one eye will allow the patient to see near objects clearly even without glasses.
After the procedure, your brain will slowly adjust and adapt to the monovision treatment. The brain will automatically obtain the best image of what you are seeing. At various distances, your brain will signal the appropriate guiding eye.
It may take up to a few weeks for some people to adapt after undergoing monovision LASIK. An individual’s vision may appear slightly less sharp in the beginning as the brain learns to adjust. For most individuals who have undergone monovision LASIK, the convenience of being able to see reasonably well at both near and far distances without glasses can make up for the minor loss of clarity with distance vision.
Read more about the monovision procedure here.
