Presbyopia. Everything You Never Knew You Needed To Know

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Some of the terms used in the eye care industry tend to leave people feeling dazed and confused. For all you know, Presbyopia could be a moon of Jupiter. Well it’s not. It’s an eye condition that affects over 1 billion people worldwide and it’s very likely that it will one day affect you. It’s much like grey hairs and wrinkles and is a natural part of aging (thankfully I’m ever young and won’t have to deal with such things).

Presbyopia Definition

The word Presbyopia stems from Greek, two words meaning ‘old man'(presbys) and ‘eye'(ops), so you put the two together and you’ve got ‘old man eye’. Well, the official definition surprisingly isn’t ‘old man eye’, but rather:

“farsightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, occurring typically in middle and old age.”

but I prefer to call it ‘old man eye’. (Do remember that in Greek times, old age was anything more than 30, now it’s the prime of life)

What is Presbyopia?

Presbyopia is a natural occurrence that happens as we get older and is usually diagnosed in people over 40. The older we get, the lens in our eyes loses its flexibility and the muscles around the eye may also lose their elasticity. Both of these things  cause problems when trying to focus on objects that are closer to us.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia Symptoms

Presbyopia sufferers tend to complain of headaches or eye strain when reading or viewing things close up. The most common symptom is being unable to view text without putting right in-front of your eyes. The symptoms are similar to farsightedness (Hyperopia) except that the causes are different and you are usually born with Hyperopia.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia Treatment

Presbyopia isn’t so much something that has to be treated or cured but is something that if isn’t properly handled can make your vision worse. The main solution to give clear vision is to wear reading glasses. Reading glasses have lenses that are specifically made to ensure comfortable vision when reading or seeing close up. I know the words strike horror into anyone stylish but thankfully at VisionDirect we can fit your prescription to most frames and give you cool reading glasses. Some people choose to buy the ready-made frames that are all over the high-street but really glasses should always be fit with your exact prescription.

So I hope that’s cleared up your Presbyopic queries. Should you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment in the box below. You can also visit our Optical Centre to read more about Presbyopia.

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