Aging Vision – Presbyopia
Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the eyes gradually lose the ability to see things up close. It is not a disorder or disease but rather a natural aging process of the eye. The first symptom that may appear is difficulty focusing on near objects, such as a menu or newspaper print. To adjust, the individual usually squints their eyes, increases the light in the room, and/or holds the reading material farther away from them.
Non–surgical treatment methods include reading glasses or monovision correction with contact lenses. Monovision treatment involves wearing a contact lens to correct one eye for distance or near vision, while the other eye is untreated. (left: simulation of over 40 vision)
The adjustment to focusing with monovision and/or the inconvenience and difficulty of putting in contact lenses daily make this a less desirable option for many people.
Surgical methods for treating presbyopia include Laser–Assisted–In–Situ–Keratomileusis (LASIK) and clear lens extraction. During LASIK surgery, a thin flap in the cornea (the clear window of the eye) is created, followed by vision correction treatment with a specialized laser.
Clear lens extraction involves removing the lens of the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens to achieve near focus. Recently, a multifocal zone lens implant device that corrects both near and far vision was approved.