Just like getting a little wrinklier, feeling the after-effects of a night at the pub more keenly, and finding it more difficult to remember phone numbers, presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process. Of course, just like the abovementioned aspects, being natural doesn’t mean that presbyopia is welcomed! Presbyopia is a loss of ability to focus easily on near objects, due to increasing rigidity of the lens in your eye. It is not completely preventable - your genes are the main determinant of the extent to which you'll develop presbyopia. However, you can protect your eyes and prevent the use of reading glasses for as long as possible, by following these common-sense guidelines. 

Have regular checkups with the optometrist

This tip is as much for the sake of actually preventing early damage to your eye, as increasing your comfort level and visual acuity during the early stages of presbyopia. If you have uncorrected farsightedness, you may need presbyopia correction much sooner than you otherwise would. 

Avoid doing close-up work for long periods of time

This does not necessarily do damage to the lens of your eye, the main component of your visual system involved in presbyopia. 

However, you can damage the muscles that are used to stretch and contract your lens, therefore making presbyopia correction more difficult. Take frequent eye-breaks if you need to do close up work for a long period of time, like studying, sewing or reading. Look off into the distance at least every ten minutes, to allow your ocular muscles to relax. 

Stay out of direct sunglasses or wear UV sunglasses

UV light is one of the major enemies of good vision. Just as UV light can damage your skin, burning it, creating early wrinkles and sun spots, it can damage the lenses of your eyes as well. Always wear sunglasses and a hat when you are outside. UV damage to your eye can not only hasten presbyopia's onset, but also contribute to:

• Cataracts
• Sunburn of the cornea
• Conjunctival cancer
• Skin cancer on the eyelids

Choose sunglasses with an eye protection factor as close to ten as possible. 

Eat a healthy, well balanced diet

If you are genetically prone to presbyopia, it is important to ensure you get a healthy, well-balanced diet. Eating a range of fruits and vegetables over the course of a week will give you all the vitamin A, C and E that your eyes need to repair any damaged tissue and prevent presbyopia as long as possible. 

Work safe if you use a computer

The human eye prefers to look at things six metres or more away, so working on a computer all day is considered near work. Looking at a screen all day strains the eyes, because you are focusing on the same point for extended periods of time - your lens and ocular muscles don’t have a chance to relax. Here are some tips for preventing presbyopia's early stages if you have to work on a computer:

• Position the screen so that it is at eye level or a little lower, has no lights shining directly onto it, and is as far from your face as possible. 
• Frequently look away from the screen - make this a habit to do every time you stop typing, for example. 
• Ask your optometrist about computer glasses. These gently relieve pressure on the eye muscles, and are also tinted to reduce glare from the screen.