Aging may lead to structural and functional modifications in your body, including your eyes. If you notice difficulty seeing things as you turn 40 and above, then you may be experiencing presbyopia. For your understanding, trusted eye doctor Dr. Joel H. McGahen answers some common questions about this age-related vision problem.
What Causes Presbyopia?
Degenerative changes in your body are part of the normal aging process. Over time, your eyes’ natural lenses lose their flexibility. They take a more rigid form, making it harder for them to bend light toward the retina. This may lead to focusing and image visualization problems.
What Are Its Symptoms?
The hallmark symptom of presbyopia is blurred eyesight when viewing things up-close. You may experience difficulties reading a book, sewing, or cooking.
How Is It Different from Farsightedness (Hyperopia)?
Your expert optometrist explains that presbyopia happens due to elasticity changes with your eyes’ natural lenses. These eye structures are responsible for directing light towards the retina. Hyperopia, on the other hand, happens when you develop an irregularly shaped cornea. This structure primarily controls and focuses light entry. Although both may result in near-range vision problems, they have different mechanisms involved.
How Is It Managed?
We may recommend wearing corrective eyewear as part of your initial treatment. We may suggest using bifocal lenses which contain two prescriptions for both close- (lower part) and far-range (upper part) vision separated by a line. We also offer progressive lenses which work similarly, minus the visible line.
Multifocal lenses contain multiple levels of corrective lens prescriptions. You may also use monovision lenses for your eyeglasses or contact lenses. With this method, you can wear one lens for viewing up-close objects and the other for looking at distant objects. For more severe symptoms, we may advise having surgery as well.
For further questions about presbyopia, call us at (717) 609-4443. You may also complete our form to schedule a visit. We offer our high-quality services to families in Chambersburg and other nearby PA communities.