All You Need to Know About Presbyopia: Symptoms & Treatment Options

Presbyopia, more commonly known as up-close reading vision loss, is a condition caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, affecting individuals over the age of 40 in varying degrees. A telltale sign often takes the shape of losing the ability to read and see up-close, prompting the individual to hold their reading materials farther away to see them clearly.

Presbyopia

Unlike other conditions like myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), or astigmatism, presbyopia is not a visual error caused by unhealthy eye habits – it develops with age.

Just like any part of the body, our eyes too undergo ageing. The ciliary muscles, responsible for controlling accommodation for viewing objects at varying distances, will progressively weaken with age. This causes the fibres to become increasingly taut, which then pulls the lens into a flatter shape, decreasing the eye’s ability to focus. 

That said, the degradation of the ciliary muscles aren’t the only one responsible for the development of presbyopia. Ageing also affects the lens in your eye. The crystalline lens starts as soft and flexible, which allows it to be reshaped easily. But as we age, it will begin to harden, losing some of the elasticity that once allowed it to go from up-close to far away focal distances. As such, it becomes increasingly challenging to manage the extra degree of focus needed for near objects. This makes even the simplest tasks like reading a text message on your phone more difficult.

It is worth noting that presbyopia is different from hyperopia. Despite having the same symptoms (unable to see objects up close), hyperopia develops when the cornea is too flat, or the eye is abnormally short. With these malformations, a refractive error occurs as the shape of the eye focuses light on a point behind the retina, instead of on it.

Symptoms of Presbyopia

Most symptoms occur when one reaches 40 years old. Common symptoms include:

• having difficulty reading small print
• having to hold reading material at arm’s length
• squinting
• eyestrain or headache after reading or doing close work
• fatigue after reading or doing close work
• requiring brighter lighting when reading or doing close work

Treatments of Presbyopia

Unfortunately, there are no treatments available to cure presbyopia. However, there are plenty of options in the market to correct your vision. Here are three of the common ones:

1. Eyeglasses

Those who aren’t afflicted with other eye conditions besides presbyopia may want to consider a pair of nonprescription reading glasses. These glasses are typically readily accessible at retail stores like drugstores, and work best for individuals who spend a lot of time reading or focusing on close-up material. When selecting a pair of nonprescription glasses that work best for you, be sure to try different degrees of magnification and work upwards. Always opt for the lowest magnification that allows you to read up-close material comfortably.

For those that do have a prescription, you may want to opt for bifocal or progressive eyeglasses. Bifocal glasses contain two lenses with different prescriptions – the top of the lens provide distance prescription while the lower section offer reading distance. Progressive lenses, on the other hand, provide something similar, except there is a smooth progression of power between the top and bottom.

2. Contact Lenses

If you prefer contact lenses over glasses, there are multiple options available to choose from. You can consider the bifocal contact lenses, which offer the same attributes as their glasses. Another option would be multifocal contact lenses with variations in power. Monovision lenses are also an option – they require you to wear contact lenses in one eye and a different contact lens designed for close work in the other eye.

3. Surgery

For those looking for a slightly more permanent solution, surgery is a viable option. Conductive keratoplasty (CK) is a procedure that involves using radiofrequency energy to change the curvature of the cornea. While this procedure has been proven to be effective, do note that the correction may diminish over time. Similarly, laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) can also change the shape of the eye’s cornea. Doing so will create different power zones, correcting the vision of the dominant eye for distance vision while the non-dominant eye will be corrected for near vision. One other surgery procedure you may want to consider is the refractive lens exchange. This procedure involves the complete removal of your natural lens, replacing it with a synthetic lens (intraocular lens implant) inside your eye to correct your vision.

Correct Your Presbyopia at EMME Visioncare

If you’re having difficulty reading the newspaper or focusing on a text message, book a comprehensive eye examination in Singapore at EMME Visioncare. Our team of expert opticians and optometrists will help you find the ideal solution to correct your vision. Book a consultation to learn more.