PRESBYOPIA - is difficulty in reading, near tasks and/or computer use.  Exposure to sunlight over many years causes a decrease in the eye’s ability to focus on near objects. This can result in tired eyes, wrinkles in the skin around the eyes, headaches and fatigue.

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Treatment options for Presbyopia include:
 

• Prescription reading glasses.  This most common treatment comes in various designs including invisible bifocals (progressive lenses, multifocal reading glasses (computer lenses) and single vision reading glasses.

• Non-prescription reading glasses.  Also known as Over The Counter (OTC) magnifiers, these can be helpful for some individuals but have functional limitations.  OTC magnifiers are the lowest cost option for presbyopia

• Reading enhancement eye drops.  These prescription eye drops, first available in the winter of 2021-22 pending final FDA approval, improve reading vision for many patients.  For some patient’s this may mean no need for reading glasses while for others it significantly reduces the need for reading glasses.  For contact lens wearers these drops can be an excellent addition to help with reading and computer use.

• Contact lenses can be an option for a small subset of patients.  Fitting designs are either bifocal contact lenses, monovision contact lenses or a blend of these two options.

• Surgery is limited to a small group of patients who have need reading glasses on a full time basis. The surgery involves removing the focusing lens in the eye and replacing it with a bifocal plastic implant.  This is the most invasive and most expensive of the presbyopia treatments.

 

Talk with your optometric physician at your complete eye exam regarding which options are best for you.

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For more information about Presbyopia, visit this website.