When the cause of your eyeglass dependence is nearsightedness, the vision correction options are pretty straight-forward. When there is a need for reading glasses or bifocals, solutions can be more complicated.
Most people develop a condition called presbyopia as they approach age 40. Presbyopia is the inability of the eye to focus at all distances, usually noticed when fine print starts to blur.
Some eye doctors disagree about what causes presbyopia. Most believe stiffening of the eye’s lens contributes to the condition. Other theories suggest that presbyopia could also be related to continued growth of the lens or atrophy of the muscles controlling the lens.
In the past, the usual remedy was to wear reading glasses or special multifocal lenses (bifocal or progressive) for presbyopia. But in modern times, surgical remedies for presbyopia also are available for qualified candidates.
One of the first effective surgical options for presbyopia correction involved producing what is known as “monovision” during LASIK. But other surgical procedures such as conductive keratoplasty or CK also have been approved by the FDA, which gives eye surgeons additional options for correcting this common vision problem.
In some cases, refractive lens exchange (exchanging the patient’s natural lens with a bifocal lens or artificial flexible lens) can solve the problem. The surgical solution for presbyopia continues to evolve. If you would like to explore your options, why not see us for a complimentary evaluation?