Presbyopia – What Is It?

Do you have to have someone stand across the room and hold the newspaper in order for you to read it? Would you like to change that? And I don’t mean reading glasses.

Presbyopia is the inability to see things clearly that are near to our face. We have to hold reading material at arms length in order to read it.

It is a not so subtle reminder that you’ve reached middle age. You will probably become aware of it when you need to read the newspaper from arms length away from you. People with nearsightedness are a little “luckier” than people without it. They usually don’t notice presbyopia until their fifties.

There is a theory that presbyopia is caused by a hardening of the lens of your eye, which develops with aging. As the lens becomes less flexible, it can no longer change shape to accommodate near and far, so things that are close-up appear out of focus. Some people try to correct the problem with drug store reading glasses.

There is another theory which says that the lens of your eye doesn’t loos its flexibility, but the mind and character do. Since our mind and character effect our physiology this theory makes perfect sense.

Glasses And Contacts For Presbyopia

Usual treatment of presbyopia is to compensate for the eyes inability to focus on nearby objects. It includes corrective lenses, refractive surgery, or lens implants. You may be able to use reading glasses that are sold over the counter if your eyes were healthy before you were diagnosed with presbyopia.

If over the counter glasses are inadequate or you have other eye problems, you will need prescription lenses. There are bifocals which correct distance and near vision. They come in lined and progressive (without a line). Then there are trifocals, which corrects distance, middle vision, and near vision with a progressive lens.  They even have bifocal contacts.

Just remember that neither glasses or contact lenses are going to treat the real cause of presbyopia.

Refractive Surgery And Presbyopia

Refractive surgery changes the shape of your cornea. There are four types of refractive surgery. Conductive keratoplasty (CK) This procedure applies heat to tiny spots around the cornea using radio frequency energy.  Its success depends on the number and spacing of the spots as well as how the tissue heals afterward. The results are variable and therefore unstable for many people.

Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) This creates a flap only in the corneas thin protective cover, called the epithelium.  It reshapes the outer layers and steepens its curvature, and then the surgeon repositions the epithelial flap.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)  It is similar to LASEK, except the epithelium is removed. It grows back naturally, conforming to the cornea’s new shape.

Lens Implants involves removal of your natural lens and replaced with a synthetic lens inside your eye. This procedure hasn’t been entirely satisfactory because patients have experienced problems with glare and blurring.

Cure Presbyopia Naturally

Remember you can prevent presbyopia, there are many things you can do to protect your vision. Have your eyes checked regularly. If detected early enough, serious damage can be prevented.  If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, make sure it is under control, because these two conditions complicate eye problems.

Protect your eyes from the sun by wearing  sunglasses that block UV radiation. Eat healthy foods such as, fruits, leafy greens, and vegetables. They contain high levels of antioxidants as well as Vitamin A and beta carotene. These nutrients are essential for maintaining healthy vision.  And always use good lighting to avoid eye strain.

Learn to recognize the symptoms. Hazy or blurred vision, sudden loss of vision in one eye, spots or halos around lights, flashes of light, may signal a serious medical condition. If you need to put the newspaper on the wall across the room to read it, don’t let vanity ruin your eyesight. Get a checkup and start practicing eye exercises and relaxation techniques. Because, now you don’t have to use reading glasses, contact lenses or Laser eye surgery. There is a natural vision improvement program that will help you see clearly without them.

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