What is Presbyopia and How Can You Treat It?

Our bodies begin to slow down as we age, causing various health concerns. One natural part of aging is the loss of 20/20 vision. Presbyopia affects most adults in their 40s and up, and Vold Vision provides various treatment options to manage its symptoms.

What is Presbyopia?

Presbyopia comes from the Greek word for “old eyes.” Declining eyesight is a normal part of aging. Inside the eye, a clear lens changes shape to focus light on the retina for perfect vision. Younger eyes have soft, flexible lenses that easily adjust, but with presbyopia, older lenses become more rigid. The rigid lens makes reading and other close work more difficult. 

What are the Symptoms of Presbyopia?

Presbyopia starts in your 40s and can worsen as you age. We recommend having eye exams every 1-4 years after 40 to check your eyesight. Common symptoms of presbyopia include:

• Eyestrain or headaches after reading or close work
• Difficulty reading small print
• Fatigue from close work
• Needing brighter lighting for reading or close work
• Holding reading material at arm’s distance to focus correctly
• Squinting

Farsightedness and presbyopia have similar symptoms. Please visit Vold Vision for a comprehensive eye exam to find out if you have presbyopia. 

How Can I Treat Presbyopia?

To start treatment for presbyopia, Vold Vision performs a comprehensive eye exam for refraction assessment and eye health. After you are diagnosed, you have many options for treatment, depending on the severity of the condition and personal preference.

Reading Glasses

Reading glasses are a standard method to treat presbyopia. These glasses provide basic prescriptions to make close work easier. We recommend trying on different glasses to determine which prescription is best for you. 

Prescription Glasses and Contacts

Prescription glasses and contact lenses are easily adjusted to accommodate presbyopia if you have preexisting conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. You have many choices, including bifocals, trifocals, and progressive multifocal.  

Clear Lens Exchange

Clear Lens Exchange replaces your eye’s aged, rigid lens with a new PanOptix® Lens. For most people, this removes the need for glasses or contact lenses, offering a long-lasting solution. CLE can also correct a range of other vision problems. 

While laser vision correction makes an excellent option for farsightedness, it cannot correct presbyopia. Only a full assessment can determine which condition affects your vision. 

Take the Next Step

You’ll benefit not only from the latest technologies available but also from our compassionate, personal approach. You’re more than a patient at Vold Vision in Bentonville and Fayetteville. We strive to make you as comfortable as possible while evaluating the optimal treatment plan just for you. We invite Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville, and Springdale residents to contact us today for a consultation at (479) 755-4510.