They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. For some, this is something which they truly believe, for others; it is something which they may feel is a little too deep. However, one thing is for sure, our eyes are one of the most precious parts of our bodies-allowing us to view and experience the world. It is for this reason that when our sight is compromised, it can often be an extremely terrifying experience.

Presbyopia is a condition which is caused by the body’s natural aging process. As we become older, we will find that our body will deteriorate in various, gradual ways. Presbyopia will begin with the individual finding it harder to read small lettering at a close distance, or will struggle to sit in front of a computer for a long period of time. Due to the techniques the individual may adopt in order to read text, such as holding small print at arm’s length in order to read it, the condition is often referred to as ‘short arm syndrome’. As an adult approaches their middle life, around the age of 40, the eyes lens will gradually become thicker which will reduce its flexibility. As this thickness increases, the lens of the eye will start to have difficulty changing its focusing distance affecting how the eye can view small text.

As stated above, the typical symptoms will begin with the individual finding it hard to read smaller print, resulting in the print being placed at a further distance from the eye. However, symptoms can also include a great need for lighting in order to read and complete small intricate work such as sewing, the feeling of their eyes being strained after short periods of time reading and experiencing difficulty in identifying the contrast between small pieces of text. For many, this may be a difficult time as they may see the deterioration of their eyes as a sign that they are deemed as ‘old’, but in actual fact presbyopia is a very common condition which can sometimes start early in some individuals based on their personal and work lives. There are wide ranges of ways in which an individual can live with the condition such as wearing reading glasses, wearing contact lenses and in other cases, even opting for laser surgery.

Some current eyeglasses wearers may think that they will not experience presbyopia as they already experience problems with their sight, but this is simply not true. Astigmatism, nearsightedness and farsightedness differ from presbyopia as they relate to the shape of the eyeball and are often caused by genetic and environmental factors rather than the body’s aging process. Those who currently wear glasses and/or contact lenses may find that as they become older they may require bifocal glasses which will help them address their sight impairment on the top portion of the lens, and the issues their eyes have from presbyopia at the bottom. Looking out of the lower portion of the lens will help correct the vision problems they experience from presbyopia, but wearers will see a clear marking on their glasses lens where the different strengths of lens meet. However, the simple alternative for most presbyopia suffers is ready readers or reading glasses, which quickly and cheaply solve the vision problem.

Many often worry once their eyes start to experience aging, but with the many advances in ophthalmology allow for us to not only deal with these changes in our bodies but also open us up to a range of possibilities to better our lives and our sight.