It can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the cause of vision changes without the help of a professional. There are many different eye conditions that can cause vision changes that are related to aging.
However, minor vision changes while looking at near objects is often due to presbyopia. Some degree of presbyopia is present in nearly eighty percent of North Americans by the time they are fifty-five.
Keep reading to learn some of the best ways to fix presbyopia!
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is an eye condition that causes a person to become farsighted and have difficulty seeing things up close. Presbyopia is caused by changes to the natural lens in your eye.
The lens is a clear piece of tissue that refracts light onto your retina.
Typically, your lens is able to flex and stretch using a small muscle in the eye, which allows it to adjust your focus.
As you get older, the lens hardens and becomes less flexible. Without being able to move the lens, your eye will have greater difficulty looking at objects at near.
Will Reading Glasses Work?
Many people combat presbyopia by purchasing over-the-counter reading glasses. Reading glasses, like other glasses, change how light enters your eye.
By the time the light enters your lens, it is bent in a way that allows you to see up close. While they are effective, they do alter your lifestyle.
Needing to constantly put on your readers whenever you want to see anything up close can be tiresome. Not to mention, reading glasses are particularly easy to lose.
Since you don’t need them to see all the time, reading glasses are often misplaced. For these reasons, they are definitely not convenient.
What is Refractive Lens Exchange?
When it comes to surgically enhancing your vision, most people think of LASIK. However, LASIK is not intended to treat presbyopia.
An alternate procedure, known as refractive lens exchange, is typically a better option to combat presbyopia surgically. Refractive lens exchange works very differently from LASIK.
While LASIK improves vision by changing the shape of the cornea, RLE entirely replaces the natural lens inside the eye with an artificial one.
The artificial lens is called an IOL.
There are different kinds of IOLs, and your eye doctor can help you choose one during your screening at Stahl Eyecare in Manhattan, NY.
What Lenses Are Used During RLE?
There are three main categories: standard IOLs, premium IOLs, and toric IOLs.
Standard IOLs are the most basic option. A standard IOL will allow you to see clearly only at one distance.
For that reason, you would still need glasses to see clearly for certain activities. These IOLs are not used to treat presbyopia, as it would defeat the purpose.
Instead, premium IOLs are the standout. Premium IOLs are able to correct your vision for clarity at both distance and near.
If you have astigmatism, your eye doctor may recommend a toric IOL for an optimal visual outcome. Toric IOLs are great for someone with both presbyopia and astigmatism.
Do you want to learn more about your options for presbyopic vision correction or determine if you are a candidate for RLE? Schedule an appointment at Stahl Eyecare Experts in Garden City, NY, today to learn more about your options!
