Presbyopia (old eye): symptoms, causes and treatment

Definition

What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia, or more commonly known as presbyopia or old eye, is the gradual loss of the eye's ability to see objects at close range. Presbyopia is a natural refractive error that occurs due to the aging process.

Older eye disorders usually begin in the early to mid-40s, and continue to get worse until the age of 65.

You may begin to notice you have a presbyopia when you have to hold books and newspapers at a greater distance from your eye to be able to read them.

A simple eye exam can confirm presbyopia. You can correct this condition with glasses or contact lenses. You may also consider surgery.

How common is this condition?

Presbyopia is a vision disorder that can affect anyone over 35 years of age. Everyone will experience these old eyes eventually, but they can vary in severity.

Old eye can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

Signs and symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of presbyopia?

Presbyopia appears gradually and not suddenly. You may first notice signs and symptoms after age 40.

Presbyopia symptoms are characterized by a gradual decrease in the ability to read and see at close range, such as:

• It's easy to get tired eyes while reading
• Headaches when trying to focus on objects at close range
• Easily tired of doing jobs that require close vision
• Difficulty reading in lowercase letters
• Put away gadgets, books, or newspapers while reading
• Requires lighter light for close-up viewing
• Have to squint to see up close

You may feel your signs and symptoms worsen if you are tired, drink alcohol or are in poorly lit areas.

What is the difference between old and farsighted eyes (plus / hypermetropic eye)?

Although presbyopia shares the same symptoms as farsightedness, such as blurred vision when looking at near objects, they are different.

Farsightedness occurs when the eye is shorter than the normal eye size or the cornea is too flat. This prevents light from falling onto the retina properly, as presbyopia does.

Nearsightedness can already occur when a person is born, but presbyopia can only occur with age.

When should I see a doctor?

Early diagnosis and treatment can stop this condition from worsening. Talk to your doctor to prevent this condition from becoming serious.

If you have any signs or symptoms of old eyes as above and other questions, please consult your doctor.

Everyone's body is different. It could be that the symptoms are not always the same in everyone.

Cause

What causes presbyopia?

Similar to hypermetropy or other refractive errors, the cause of presbyopia is a shadow or light that does not fall (or refract) right on the retina.

To be able to see an image, your eye relies on the cornea (the clear, convex layer at the front of the eye) and the lens to focus the light reflected off the object.

These two structures refract (refract) light into the eye to focus the image on the retina, which is located at the back in the inner wall of your eye.

The lens of the eye — unlike the cornea — is quite flexible and can change shape with the help of the muscles that surround it. Its function is to regulate the amount of light that enters the retina.

To carry out its function, the eye lens is flexible. This means that the lens will change shape when adjusting the light. However, as you age the lenses of the eye can become stiffer and harder to change shape.

As a result, the eye takes longer to capture focus on the object in front of it. This is what causes a person to experience old eyes.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for presbyopia?

Age is a major risk factor influencing presbyopia. However, there are several other factors that can also increase a person's risk of having old eyes even before they reach the age of 40.

The following are some of the risk factors for presibiopy:

1. Age

Nearly all people after 40 years of age have old eyes of varying severity.

2. Certain medical conditions

Old eye can occur sooner or before 40 years of age. Old eyes before 40 years of age can be caused by certain health conditions.

Some of the things that can cause a person's presbyopia to appear earlier are:

• Anemia
• Heart disease
• Eye complications of diabetes
• Farsightedness
• Nervous system disorders (brain and spinal cord), eg multiple sclerosis
• Myasthenia gravis or disorders of the nerves and muscles
• Eye disease, injury or trauma to the eye
• Impaired blood flow to the heart

3. Medicines

Certain medications can also trigger premature presbyopia symptoms, including antidepressants, antihistamines, and diuretics.

Apart from the risk factors above, older eyes are also more common in women, people who have undergone eye surgery, and people who have unhealthy diets.

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

If your doctor suspects you have an old eye condition, a physical exam and several tests will be recommended. A thorough eye exam includes a series of tests.

The eye doctor will give drops to dilate the pupil (dilation). This can make your eyes more sensitive to light for several hours after the exam. Dilation helps your doctor check the inside of your eye more easily.

The doctor can also perform an eye vision examination by directing a light into your eye and asking you to look through various lenses to test distance and near vision.

Each test helps your doctor evaluate several aspects of your vision. You may need further tests if you have risk factors for eye disease or need glasses or contact lenses.

How is presbyopia handled?

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, some of the treatment options that doctors can recommend to treat presbyopia are:

1. Reading glasses

Reading glasses are a simple and safe way to correct vision problems caused by old eyes. Reading glasses can be found at drugstores and eyeglasses with various lens sizes, according to the needs of each patient.

2. Contact lenses

People who don't want to wear glasses often use contact lenses to correct vision problems caused by presbyopia.

This option may not be right for you if you have certain conditions related to the eyelids, tear ducts, or surface of the eyes.

3. Operations

Refractive surgery, such as eye lasik, aims to change the shape of your cornea. For presbyopia, this procedure is used to improve near vision in the non-dominant eye, so that the ability to capture focus again at close range.

4. Lens implantation

Some eye doctors use a procedure to remove the lens on each eye and replace it with an artificial lens. This is called intraocular lens implantation.

Some people choose this procedure even after having had lasik surgery several years before being eyeglass-free.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies for presbyopia?

The following are steps you can take to treat presbyopia:

• Check eye health. Check your eyes regularly and do simple ways to care for your eyes.
• Control of chronic disease conditions. Conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension) or diabetes can affect eye health.
• Protect your eyes from the sun. Use sunglasses that are good for eye health and can prevent direct ultraviolet (UV) rays into the eyes.
• Prevent eye injury. Use eye protection when outdoors, such as during sports, gardening, etc.
• Eat a healthy diet. Try to eat foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruits or vegetables. These foods are also rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene which maintain eye health.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.