Presbyopia

Everyone gets presbyopia as they age. You may notice it earlier if you:

• Are farsighted
• Do a lot of close-up work, since you may notice the change sooner
• Have certain health conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease
• Take certain medicines, such as some allergy, anxiety or depression medicines

Noticing presbyopia much earlier than usual, before about age 40, is worth mentioning to your eye doctor.

Presbyopia is found during a comprehensive eye exam. Your eye doctor will:

• Check how well you see up close and far away
• Measure your prescription for different distances
• Ask about the close-up tasks that matter to you, such as reading, computer work or hobbies, and at what distance you do them
• Check the health of your eyes, usually with dilating drops

The age when presbyopia starts is also a good time for a full eye health check. Glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic eye disease become more common as people age. Many of them have no early symptoms. That is one reason to see your eye doctor, even if store-bought readers seem to be enough.

There is no way to stop presbyopia, but there are many ways to see well up close again. The right choice depends on your eyes, your work and your hobbies.

• Reading glasses. If you see well far away, simple reading glasses may be all you need. Your eye doctor can tell you the right strength.
• Glasses for more than one distance. Bifocals have a line between the distance and reading parts. Progressive lenses change strength gradually, with no visible line. There are also glasses made for computer distance.
• Contact lenses. Multifocal contact lenses have zones for different distances. Another option, called monovision, corrects one eye for distance and the other for close up. Both take some getting used to.
• Prescription eye drops. Some prescription drops make the pupil smaller for several hours, which can make close-up vision sharper. They are not right for everyone, and they can cause side effects like headache or dim vision at night. Rarely, drops like these have been linked to a torn or detached retina, so your eye doctor checks the back of your eye first. Call right away if you notice new flashes, floaters or a shadow over your vision.
• Surgery. Some adults choose laser vision correction for monovision, or a lens replacement surgery with a special lens implant. These are permanent choices with trade-offs, so they need a careful talk with an eye surgeon.

Your needs will change over time, so your prescription will too.

• Use good lighting for reading and close work.
• Make text bigger on your phone, tablet and computer.
• Keep a pair of readers where you need them, such as by your bed or in your bag.
• Take breaks from close work. Every so often, look at something far away for a few seconds.
• Store-bought readers are fine for many people. But they have the same strength in both eyes and don’t correct astigmatism, so they may not be enough if your eyes differ.
• Have your eyes checked regularly. Presbyopia changes over time, and regular exams also help catch eye diseases early.