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Presbyopia
If you are over the age of 40 and suddenly finding yourself holding books and menus at arm’s length you are most likely experiencing presbyopia. Presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness, happens to nearly everybody, and usually begins to become noticeable in the mid-40s. Up to
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The Prevalence and Demographic Associations of Presenting Near-Vision Impairment Among Adults Living in the United States
Zebardast N, Friedman DS, Vitale S
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128 million
people in the United States have presbyopia.
If you live in the Colorado Springs area and are tired of switching between multiple pairs of glasses or simply can’t get used to your no-lined bifocal known as progressive lenses we have a solution for you. At Skyline LASIK, we offer vision correction options that not only correct your distance vision but may reduce your dependency on readers.
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a common age-related condition that affects your ability to see objects up close. It typically starts becoming noticeable in individuals around the
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What is Presbyopia?
American Academy of Ophthalmology
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age of 40
. This condition is a natural part of the aging process and happens as the lens inside your eye becomes less flexible. When the lens loses its elasticity, it can no longer change shape as easily to focus on close objects, which leads to difficulty focusing on reading material or near vision tasks.
Presbyopia Symptoms
Symptoms of presbyopia typically include:
- Difficulty reading small print or seeing close objects clearly
- Holding things
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Presbyopia
National Eye Institute
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farther away
to see them clearly
- Needing brighter lighting when reading or doing close work
- Experiencing eye strain, blurred vision, or headaches when doing close work or reading
- Finding it harder to focus on nearby objects over time
Presbyopia Treatment
Presbyopia happens to everyone, but that doesn’t mean that everyone treats presbyopia the same way. At Skyline LASIK, we recognize the uniqueness of each person’s lifestyle and vision requirements. We believe in offering personalized treatment options, making sure that every patient discovers the solution that best aligns with their needs and lifestyle.
Refractive Lens Exchange
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with an intraocular lens (IOL) implant to improve vision. Refractive lens exchange is an identical procedure to cataract surgery, except that it is performed for elective reasons in patients who do not have cataracts but wish to improve their vision. The biggest perk of having RLE surgery is you won’t need cataract surgery in the future and you can enjoy the benefits of premium IOLs longer.
We offer a wide range of IOL options, allowing us to fully customize each patient’s vision correction during refractive lens exchange. This means that we can correct nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism as well as presbyopia, giving our patients their best opportunity to see clearly without eyeglasses or contacts.
Learn More About Refractive Lens Exchange
Monovision
Monovision, sometimes called blended vision, involves correcting one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision. In most people, the brain naturally adapts to combine both images to create a clearer view at a wide range of distances. Monovision is most commonly used for patients electing to have Lasik or PRK performed to correct their vision. Monovision can also be done during RLE surgery when trifocal IOLs are not a good fit for a patient.
Corrective Eyewear
The most common solution for presbyopia is corrective eyewear like over-the-counter readers. Most patients elect to correct their near vision with readers after having vision correction surgery if they feel monovision or RLE isn’t right for them.
LASIK & PRK with Presbyopia
While LASIK & PRK surgery is known for effectively correcting common vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, it’s important to understand its role in relation to presbyopia. LASIK & PRK reshapes the cornea to correct refractive errors, but it does not prevent or correct presbyopia, which is a natural aging process of the eye’s lens.
Patients who undergo LASIK or PRK in their 20s or 30s may enjoy clear vision at all distances, but this does not prevent the development of presbyopia in their mid-40s. As the lens inside the eye ages and becomes less flexible, even those who have had LASIK or PRK will experience the typical symptoms of presbyopia, such as difficulty focusing on close objects.
For individuals considering either LASIK or PRK after the onset of presbyopia, usually around the age of 45, it’s crucial to understand that correcting distance vision will not alleviate the need for reading glasses for near tasks. At Skyline LASIK, we ensure our patients are fully informed about how their near vision will remain blurry after surgery. We offer alternative surgical solutions specifically designed to address presbyopia, such as refractive lens exchange and monovision LASIK and PRK. Our commitment is to provide clear and comprehensive vision solutions that cater to the unique needs of each patient at every stage of their visual journey.
Zoom in on Clearer Vision with Skyline LASIK
Are you looking for a solution for your nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism that also addresses age-related near vision loss? Let’s bring the world into sharper focus. Schedule your consultation in Colorado Springs today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Presbyopia
Can presbyopia be prevented?
Presbyopia is a natural part of aging and cannot be prevented. However, regular eye exams and proper eye care can help maintain eye health and early detection of the condition.
Does everybody begin to notice presbyopia in their 40s?
Most people begin to encounter age-related farsightedness or near vision loss in their 40s, but there are certain medical conditions or other risk factors that can make a person more likely to notice changes to their near vision at an earlier age. Risk factors for premature presbyopia include:
- Hyperopia (farsightedness)
- Diabetes
- Anemia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cardiovascular disease
- Previous
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Presbyopia
Mayo Clinic
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eye injury
Is presbyopia the same as farsightedness?
No, presbyopia and farsightedness are different conditions. Like presbyopia, farsightedness (hyperopia) also makes it difficult to see things up close. However, farsightedness is present at birth and is caused by an eyeball that is
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Farsightedness (Hyperopia)
National Eye Institute
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shorter
than it should be or a cornea that is not curved enough.
Presbyopia is age-related farsightedness that naturally occurs when the crystalline lens inside your eye becomes less flexible. Presbyopia happens to everyone, including people who already have refractive errors or who have never had vision problems in the past.
Can LASIK or PRK treat presbyopia?
LASIK & PRK both correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism by reshaping the cornea, but they don’t correct physical changes to the eye’s natural lenses that cause presbyopia. In that sense, LASIK & PRK cannot “treat” presbyopia in the same way that it treats other refractive errors. However, our surgeons can perform LASIK & PRK with monovision to address changes in vision caused by presbyopia. Monovision involves correcting one eye for near vision and the other for distance. In most patients, the brain is able to combine both images to present a clear image at all distances, even for patients with presbyopia. Choosing monovision doesn’t alleviate your need for readers all together nor does it prevent the progression of presbyopia. Eventually patients who elect to do monovision will need to use readers full time to see their sharpest at near.
1 Zebardast N, Friedman DS, Vitale S. The Prevalence and Demographic Associations of Presenting Near-Vision Impairment Among Adults Living in the United States. Am J Ophthalmol. 2017 Feb;174:134-144. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2016.11.004. Epub 2016 Nov 16. PMID: 27865728; PMCID: PMC5253305. Available: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27865728/. Accessed January 9, 2024.
2 American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is Presbyopia? Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia. Accessed January 9, 2024.
3 National Eye Institute. Presbyopia. Available: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/presbyopia. Accessed January 9, 2024.
4 Mayo Clinic. Presbyopia. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/presbyopia/symptoms-causes/syc-20363328. Accessed January 9, 2024.
5 National Eye Institute. Farsightedness (Hyperopia). Available: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/farsightedness-hyperopia. Accessed January 9, 2024.
The doctors at Skyline LASIK have authored or reviewed and approved this content.