Are Your Arms Too Short?

If you are over the age of 40, you have probably noticed a decrease in your ability to see things up close.  This natural aging process, during which the eye’s crystalline lens loses its ability to focus on near objects, is called presbyopia.  In early stages, you may discover that if you just hold things a little further away, you are able to focus well enough.  But eventually, as your arms seem too short to reach that focus, you will need another solution.

While presbyopia cannot be prevented or reversed, there are now several options available to treat it, depending on your lifestyle.  You may choose reading glasses, whether prescription or over-the-counter, to relieve eyestrain while performing near tasks like reading or using a computer.  Over-the-counter type readers will not correct astigmatism or compensate for a difference between the right eye and the left eye.  In addition, the inexpensive lens materials used in these readers may have lesser quality optics which could lead to eyestrain or headaches.  Prescription readers will provide the clearest, most comfortable vision for near activities.

If you find the constant search for reading glasses to be inconvenient, you may want to consider bifocals.  These lenses allow you to see clearly for far when you look straight ahead and clearly up close when you gaze downward.  Bifocals may be used even if you do not need a distance prescription.  If you don’t like the look of bifocal lenses, progressive lenses can give you all the benefits of a bifocal without the visible line.

Another option for treating presbyopia is contact lenses.  Monovision is the use of a distance contact lens in the dominant eye and a near contact lens if the other eye.  You may be a candidate for bifocal contact lenses, which correct distance and near in both eyes.

While laser vision correction will not allow your eyes to change focus from distance to near like they did when you were younger, you may opt for monovision correction similar to the contact lenses above.  Other surgical corrections include a recent advance in cataract surgery in which the natural lens of the eye is replaced by a flexible implant.  This implant can change position in the eye and allow you to focus on both distance and near objects.

Presbyopia can be very frustrating, especially if you have never needed vision correction before.  Your optometrist can evaluate your daily visual demands and help you to find the best solution to meet your needs.

Julie Danielson owns the Jacksonville Vision Clinic, and may be reached at 541-899-2020.