Presbyopia and the Aging Eye:
As you age, your eyes do too. This natural aging process typically leads to a condition known as presbyopia. Presbyopia, translated from the Greek word which means “old sight,” causes you to lose your ability to read up close. You may find yourself pulling your book away from your face in order to focus. This occurs because the clear lens which sits inside of your eye becomes rigid, unable to change its shape to focus light into the retina.
If you have presbyopia, don’t worry! There are many options available to ensure that you are still able to read your favorite books, use your laptop, and text on your smartphone. Below are the most readily available options for addressing presbyopia:
Bifocals and Trifocals
If you need help seeing up close and in the intermediate distance, you'll find many new bifocal and multifocal lens options, no matter what your work and leisure activities are.
Multifocal Contact Lenses
Offering the convenience of contact lenses as well as the ability to see close up and far away, multifocal and bifocal contacts help active Baby Boomers adjust to any situation without eyeglasses.
Occupational Bifocals and Trifocals
People who perform certain tasks at home or at work may need special-purpose multifocal lenses. One example is a bifocal lens with a near-focus segment in the top half, for a mechanic who needs to look up a lot. By improving your eyes' focusing power, these special lenses can reduce eyestrain and fatigue.
Progressive Lenses
No lines! But progressive lenses have more going for them than just good looks. They let you see at all distances, from far away to up close, without the irritation of transitional lines. The right progressive lenses can help your eyes focus the way they would if you didn't need vision correction at all. Reading glasses work well with contacts.
Reading Glasses
If you're over 40 and beginning to experience blurry vision at near, reading glasses can be a quick fix. And they work great as an adjunct to distance vision-correcting contact lenses.