Visit your Temecula, CA Eye Doctor to Learn More About Treatment Options
Many adults at some point experience presbyopia or a reduced ability to see things that are close, as they age. As people worldwide are reaching older ages, more and more people develop presbyopia, which currently cannot be escaped.
Theories about the cause of presbyopia are that the eye will often harden by age forty, making it harder for the eyes to focus on an object, particularly an object close by. Those with the condition often manage with the situation by holding the paper away from their eyes or standing at a distance from the object they are looking at. Shifting from focusing on far away things to closer ones is often tiring for those with presbyopia. This tension can add to one's discomfort resulting in headaches, eye strain or fatigue.
Most of the time bifocals or progressives (PALs) are used to deal with this issue. Bifocal lenses are separated into two prescriptions for vision, one is for distance vision and the lower portion of the lens is for looking at objects that are close by. Progressive lenses use the same principal as bifocal lenses, but the transitions between the two prescriptions are more gradual and have no clear distinction between them. Wearers will more easily shift focus, as they would with normal sight. An alternative would be reading glasses which are usually worn just when needed as opposed to all day.
Presbyopes can also consider multifocal contacts or monovision lens correction (in which one eye is prescribed a correction for distance vision and the other near vision) to deal with the condition. Multifocal contact lenses don't work for everyone and can sometimes be uncomfortable, so it may take a few tries to decide if and in what combination they work for you.
Furthermore, there are options for other procedures including surgery that could be considered that should be talked over with your eye doctor. A significant number of people are most successful using a combination of treatments for presbyopia. Also, since your vision will likely deteriorate with age, you will probably be required to continually adjust the strength of your correction. The good news is, there continues to be a significant amount of experimental treatment on the market currently to identify other effective solutions for patients with presbyopia.
If you are starting to see signs of presbyopia, book a check up with your Temecula, CA eye doctor. Improved eyesight is just a call away!